Mike James (basketball, born 1975) facts for kids
James with the Wizards in 2009
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 1975 Copiague, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Amityville (Amityville, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Duquesne (1994–1998) |
| NBA Draft | 1998 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1998–2015 |
| Career history | |
| 1998 | Long Island Surf |
| 1998–1999 | UBC St. Pölten |
| 1999–2000 | ESPE Châlons-en-Champagne |
| 2000–2001 | SLUC Nancy Basket |
| 2001 | Rockford Lightning |
| 2001–2003 | Miami Heat |
| 2003–2004 | Boston Celtics |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2004–2005 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2005 | Houston Rockets |
| 2005–2006 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2006–2007 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2007–2008 | Houston Rockets |
| 2008 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2008–2010 | Washington Wizards |
| 2010 | Zhejiang Golden Bulls |
| 2011 | Aliağa Petkim |
| 2011–2012 | Erie BayHawks |
| 2012 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2013 | Texas Legends |
| 2013 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2013–2014 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2014–2015 | Texas Legends |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 5,863 (9.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,324 (2.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,075 (3.5 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
Michael Lamont James (born June 23, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard. Mike James played college basketball for Duquesne University. He spent 13 seasons in the NBA and played for 11 different teams. He won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
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College Basketball Journey
Mike James played college basketball at Duquesne University. He became Duquesne's all-time leader in steals with 201. He was also fifth in assists (348) and tenth in points (1,411). In his final year, James was named to the all-Atlantic 10 Conference first team.
In February 2017, Duquesne University honored James by retiring his number 13 jersey. This means no other player at Duquesne will wear that number again.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting in Europe
Mike James was not chosen by an NBA team in the 1998 draft. So, he began his professional basketball career in Europe. He played several successful seasons with teams in France and Austria. In 1999, he even won the Austrian League Championship.
Later, in February 2011, after playing many seasons in the NBA, James signed with Aliağa Petkim in Turkey.
Playing in the NBA
James started his NBA career in the 2001–02 season. He signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat. Over his career, he played for many famous teams. These included the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston Rockets. He also played for the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets, and Washington Wizards. Later, he joined the Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Mavericks. On average, he scored 10.0 points per game during his NBA career.
Winning with the Detroit Pistons
Mike James was part of the Pistons team that won the NBA championship in 2004. He was a reserve player, meaning he came off the bench. He and fellow guard Lindsey Hunter were known for their strong defense. Their teammate Rasheed Wallace called them the "Pit Bulls" because of how aggressive they were on defense.
Time with the Toronto Raptors
During the 2005–06 season, James was a starter for the Toronto Raptors. He had his best season, averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. He also shot very well, making 47% of his shots overall and 44.2% from three-point range.
On April 11, 2006, James made history for the Raptors. He became the first player for the team to score 30 or more points in four games in a row. He even scored a career-high 39 points in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Moving to Minnesota
After his great season with the Raptors, Mike James was a highly sought-after free agent. On July 11, 2006, he signed a four-year contract worth $23.5 million with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, his time there was not as successful. His playing minutes dropped from 37 per game in Toronto to 25 per game in Minnesota.
Later NBA Teams
Mike James continued to play for several NBA teams. In June 2007, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. Then, in February 2008, he was traded again to the New Orleans Hornets. In December 2008, he joined the Washington Wizards.
After leaving the Wizards in 2010, James played in the NBA Development League. He was called up by the Chicago Bulls in January 2012. He also played for the Dallas Mavericks in 2013. He returned to the Bulls for short periods in 2013 and 2014.
After the NBA
After his NBA career, Mike James returned to the Texas Legends in the D-League in November 2014. In January 2015, he achieved a "triple-double" for the Legends. This means he had 21 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds in one game. It was the team's first triple-double of the season.
Personal Life
Mike James is married to Angela, and they have four daughters. Their names are Jadon Miciah (born in 2000), Amaya Noel (born in 2003), Michal Mikayla (born in 2007), and McKinley Joel (born in 2008). The James family appeared on an episode of the TV show Supernanny in 2008.
See also
In Spanish: Mike James (baloncestista de 1975) para niños
