Euroleague all-time points scored record holder, former NBA guard Mike James (36) suffers an Achilles injury in tonight’s Euroleague game
How is Mike James just 36? How did he have time to have an NBA career AND become the Euro League all time scorer?
Edit: he’s not the Mike James that was an NBA journeyman in the early 2000s
He only played two seasons in the NBA and spent 12 seasons in the Euroleague, averaging 17.1 PPG for his career.
He has always been one of those players who have the talent to play in the NBA, but work a lot better as the primary scoring option for a team (need to have the ball in their hands to be effective), rather than as role players.
That’s why he stuck to Europe, in addition to the larger contracts he gets as a perennial star player here.
Lol before your edit I was thinking the exact same thing. “That Mike James? Former scoring leader for the tanking raptors like 2 decades ago?”
Not to discredit Mike James’ scoring title, but Euroleague has added a lot more games. The format has been changed to something similar to NBA.
To give an example, imagine if up until the late 00s teams played 35 games instead of 82. The all time rankings would be drastically different
Lebron would still be 1st.
And would still be the 8th best per game.
His career PPG has been diluted by his longevity, it doesn’t undermine his eliteness as a scorer that he came in the league younger than most (so more time pre-prime) and has continued far longer than anyone else (so more time post-prime). That he’s still top 10 in PPG with scoring not even being his best attribute as a player says a lot. You’re a hater, hate less. It’s an energy that will carry over into whatever relationships are around you and it will not help them. Or you.
Because hes not a ball hog
Different Mike James. This is the Mike James that Wemby played with and he commented “best player he played” before getting drafted
I swear to God half the people from America are named Mike.
And the other half are named Jalen
Different Mike James lol
That’s what I was thinking this whole time and was wondering when Mike got so light skin lol
Yeah I immediately thought of raptors Mike James
Damn. Negative steps are killer
It’s always the negative step. Exactly how Divencenzo went down this year
Dre Greenlaw, too.
And Najee Harris
didn’t even have to watch the video to know this was the cause. Not just DiVincenzo, you can go back to every achilles injury in the past 10 years and it’s all because of negative steps.
I read an article on this once, I wonder if it gets to a point players will be coached to avoid making those movements. Like how Embiid supposedly was taught to fall the way he does, to minimise risk.
Idk how common it is, but I was coached not to do it in high school by a coach who learned it from his college coaches more than 20 years ago
Weird that players and teams don’t talk about this, if they are even coaching players to do the same as your coaches did. It feels as if when this injury happens, it’s treated as bad luck almost.
While at this point it looks as if this is the risk of doing that motion. The zero step or negative step. Maybe an unnatural motion like with pitching?
same but I was on the freahman football team. Our varsity head coach was a former college QB who tore his achillies on a negitive step but he called it a running start from stopped. he told us to not do that even though you can generate more explosivness.
The thing is, that movement happens because it’s effective. Not a perfect comparison, but it’s a bit like how every pitcher in baseball throws 100 MPH and blows out their elbow. Sure, you could say hey, don’t throw 100 MPH, but they do it for a reason.
Yep, every single player does a negative step. It’s easily the best way to increase burst on your first step and drives.
Was just about to say this. I find myself avoiding negative steps while playing now
It’s a natural movement. The question is why athletes lose the ability to do it safely.
It’s not something that can be done safely
Why can 98.8% of humans and players do it safely? 7 players tore their achilles in 2025 season, but 153 sprained their ankle.
It’s the negative step plus a straight leg. If you’re low with your leg bent at the knee, the negative step is fine and necessary to produce more force. When you’re standing more straight and suddenly try to explode with a straight leg and ankle in dorsiflexion, a lot of force is concentrated on the achilles in a stretched position rather than distributed more evenly through the leg and hips.
Crazy every time I see this injury they always look back, like someone stepped on their heel. I think of KD every time
When my cousin in law tore his at our wedding he had initially though that my aunt had kicked him in the back of the leg. He was more shocked and confused at first than anything else.
My dad says the same thing. Running down the court then his first thought was which one of you fuckers kicked me.
Tore mine two years ago- can confirm it feels like someone slammed a bat on my heal. But my dad had ruptured his and told me the feeling, so I feared i tore it instantly
aww that sucks badly
hope for a quick recovery
Different Mike James
yea I realized quick
Hate that I have to watch this for science at this point. Hope the recovery is good to you. Edit: that looked familiar
The 0 step, I wonder how trainers can help their guys remove it from their portfolio when playing. As in training not to do it
Idk, a lot of players rely on that explosiveness. Would really hamper the smaller players game.
But then, obviously, there’s this possibility. Tough to say how they would train it out of them, but also have quick players keep that explosiveness.
It’s actually slower. Watch football receivers. They don’t do this. It slows you down.
My head coach in high school played at Tennessee. He was obsessive about us getting rid of that step.
Damn that’s tragic. Heal soon Mike
Potential career ender at that age. Terrible, just terrible. Kobe tore his at 34 but made it back, but other injuries derailed him. Let’s hope Mike beats the odds.
Kobe was Kobe and 2 years younger.
This is very likely it
Only is he wants to be a Euroleague starter. Could absolutely be the backup point guard on lesser European teams.
Achilles surgery has gotten a lot better over (relatively) recent years, but the rehab remains a real bitch to get through properly. Takes forever and it’s mentally draining. Need a ton of discipline.
Suns Summer League Legend
would be a Nets legend too. dude came in for an injured Harden and almost beat the 2021 Bucks
He knows it’s fucked up, damn
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Has any of them snapped their Achilles without taking that little half-step back first?
Ok yea I looked and was thinking the same as everyone else. Its the sudden burst push off with one foot while the other already in the air right? Thats asking one little muscle to suddenly propel an entire body
Also damn shame shoutout Mike James he was ballin on them KD nets I remember
Crazy he is the leader with 1 season over 20 PPG. Goes to show how much scoring is depressed in Euro League.
Hope he’s able to recover and continue his career or has enough to retire
The games are shorter, 10’ quarters. Slower tempo, emphasis on defense, no 3’ in the paint violation etc, all these contribute to lower scoring games.
Averaging 20ppg in EL is similar to a 30ppg average in the NBA, the scoring leaders in Euroleague are around that mark every season.
Smaller court (easier to help/collapse), no defensive three seconds in the paint (bigs waiting near the basket to contest layups), more strictly called travels (especially during the start of the dribble) etc., also contribute to that as well.
IDK why I’m being down voted I was just literally amazed, not shitting on Mike
Luka said it best. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1srMHLL8giE
Luka was averaging 16 points 4 assits in Euroleague before entering NBA, next season in NBA he was averaging 21 points 6 assists.
Love Mike James
Nets legend
I saw this guy play in person at a Pro-Am and he was the best player I’ve ever seen live… Atleast off of an NBA court. He was an absolute menace. Been a fan for years. Hope he heals up and gets another Year or Two out of himself.
Off of of off
Hoping NBA teams and trainers are doing insane research about how to properly strengthen and train the negative step so it doesn’t result in ligament damage.
Is the negative step the most dangerous movement in the NBA?
people will say euroleague is serious and some dude named mike james is the points scored record holder