Mike James once fell asleep during video review and got fired for it / News - Basketnews.com

Mike James started his international career with KK Zagreb, which was coached by an old-school veteran Danijel Jusup. James fell asleep numerous times during the video review. It was the primary reason he was fired just four months after signing the contract.

Credit: Rokas Snarskis Credit Rokas Snarskis

Mike James is one the biggest stars of the EuroLeague. 11 years ago, he started his European basketball career in Zagreb, where he got fired after just four months.

Mike James

Team:AS MonacoPosition:PG, SGAge:33Height:185 cmWeight:84 kgBirth place:Oregon, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

In 2012, James signed his first international contract with now-defunct KK Zagreb. The team was coached by a veteran Croatian specialist, Danijel Jusup.

Miralem Halilovic, a Galatasaray Nef Istanbul forward, recently gave an interview to Basketball Sphere, where he told a story of how the up-and-coming American guard got fired from the club after just several months.

"It was his first season in Europe. The coach was Danijel Jusup. After staying there for one or two months, he was shocked by the various practices and the way of playing in Europe," Halilovic said.

The Bosnian player revealed that Mike James once fell asleep during a video review, and it was the main reason he was let go in December after signing the contract in August.

"Whether because of communication with his relatives in America, video games, or going out... But he fell asleep two or three times during the video analysis we watched, which was a great insult for [head coach] Jusup," Halilovic said.

"He was fired because he fell asleep during the video analysis several times. The same Mike James, who was fired in Zagreb, played in Panathinaikos after a few years, and then in the NBA," the forward said. "He ended up having one of the best careers in Europe, but his start was very difficult."

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