Michael Lamont James (born June 23, 1975) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player. A point guard, James played college basketball for Duquesne. James spent 13 seasons in the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

and played for 11 different teams, winning an NBA championship with the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

College career

James played college basketball at

Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( ; also known as Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a Private university, private Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of ...

. He finished his college career as Duquesne's all-time leader in steals (201) and was fifth in assists (348) and 10th in points (1,411). James was named to the all-

Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. The A-10's member schools are located most ...

first team in his senior year at the university. James's number 13 was retired by Duquesne in a February 2017 ceremony.

Professional career

Career in Europe

James was not drafted by an NBA team in 1998. He began his professional basketball career in Europe. James enjoyed several seasons as an integral player with both French and Austrian teams. In February 2011, following several NBA seasons, James signed with Aliağa Petkim in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

NBA career

James began his

career when he signed as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

with the

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...

during the 2001–02 season. He went on to play for the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

, the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

, the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

, the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

, the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

, the

New Orleans Hornets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

, the

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

, the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

, and the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

, averaging 10.0 points per game for his career.

Detroit Pistons

James was a member of the Pistons' 2004 NBA championship team as a reserve. He and fellow reserve guard Lindsey Hunter formed a formidable defensive guard combination nicknamed the "Pit Bulls" by

Rasheed Wallace Rasheed Abdul Wallace (born September 17, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. A native of Philadelphia, Wallace played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels before declaring for the draft in 1995. ...

because of their aggressive nature on defense.

Toronto Raptors

As a starter for the Raptors during the 2005–06 season, James averaged career highs of 20.3 points, 5.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game and shot 47% from the field including 44.2% from 3-point range.Mike James Info Page
, nba.com, accessed 29 May 2007. Despite being an above-average shooter from the point guard spot, James's playmaking abilities and commitment to defense were called into question, in stark contrast to his "pit bull" days with the

Pistons A piston is an engineering component of engines and pumps. Piston(s) may also refer to: Science and technology * Misnomer for a hydraulic cylinder * Piston (optics) * Piston (subcellular structure) * Piston valve * Fire piston, an ancient device ...

. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune wrote of his big 2005–06 season: "Previously, James had started only 68 games, so some scouts wondered if those numbers were an aberration. Others felt his impending free agency affected his play, prompting him to seek stats at the expense of play-making duties". While playing for Toronto in the 2005–06 season, he reached a career high of 39 points in a win against the

. On April 11, 2006, James became the first Raptor to score 30 or more points in four consecutive games.

Minnesota Timberwolves

James averaged a career-high 20.3 points and 5.8 assists for the Raptors, making him a coveted

. On July 11, 2006, James signed a four-year $23.5 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, much of the 2006–07 season was marred by mediocre play, which limited his minutes to 25 per game (down from the 37 per game that he averaged during his career year in Toronto).

Houston Rockets

On June 14, 2007, it was announced that James and teammate Justin Reed would be traded to the

for Juwan Howard.

Later career

On February 21, 2008, it was announced that James and teammate Bonzi Wells would be traded to the

for Bobby Jackson, and Adam Haluska. This ended his second short tenure as a

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

Rocket. James was traded on December 10, 2008, in a three-team trade between the

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...

, and

. The trade sent James and Javaris Crittenton to the Wizards and Antonio Daniels to the Hornets. The Grizzlies received a conditional first round draft pick from the Wizards. On March 1, 2010, it was announced that the

had reached a buy-out agreement with James and waived him. James averaged 9.3 points per game during his stint with the Wizards, in which he played 57 games. After joining the Erie Bayhawks in the NBA Development League, James was called up by the Chicago Bulls on January 11, 2012, but released on January 28. On February 14, James was re-signed by the Bulls on a 10-day contract to provide support while Derrick Rose was injured. He was re-signed on a second 10-day contract on March 14. On April 4, 2012, James signed with the Bulls for the rest of the season. After playing with the Texas Legends of the D-League, James was signed to a 10-day contract by the

on January 8, 2013. The Mavs signed him to a second 10-day contract on January 18, 2013. He was then signed for the remainder of the season on January 28, after his second 10-day contract was up. In September 2013, James signed with the Chicago Bulls. On December 16, 2013, James was waived by the Bulls, after appearing in just seven games. On January 22, 2014, he signed a 10-day contract with the Bulls, returning yet again for another stint. On February 1, 2014, the Bulls decided not to sign James to a second 10-day contract after his first 10-day contract expired. On April 10, 2014, he signed with the Bulls for the rest of the 2013–14 season. On July 15, 2014, he was waived by the Bulls.

Post-NBA career

On November 3, 2014, James was reacquired by the Texas Legends. On January 25, 2015, he recorded the Legends first triple-double of the season with 21 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in the 115–111 win over the Delaware 87ers.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

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Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

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Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

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Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

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Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

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New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

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Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

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Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

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Playoffs

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2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

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Personal life

James and his wife, Angela, have four daughters: Jadon Miciah (b. 2000), Amaya Noel (b. 2003), Michal Mikayla (b. 2007), and McKinley Joel (b. 2008). The family appeared in a 2008 episode of ABC's '' Supernanny''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:James, Mike 1975 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen Aliağa Petkim basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Austria American expatriate basketball people in Canada American expatriate basketball people in China American expatriate basketball people in France American expatriate basketball people in Turkey American men's 3x3 basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players from Suffolk County, New York Big3 players Boston Celtics players Chicago Bulls players Dallas Mavericks players Detroit Pistons players Duquesne Dukes men's basketball players Élan Chalon players Erie BayHawks (2008–2017) players Houston Rockets players Miami Heat players Milwaukee Bucks players Minnesota Timberwolves players New Orleans Hornets players People from Amityville, New York Sportspeople from Babylon, New York Point guards Rockford Lightning players SLUC Nancy Basket players Texas Legends players Toronto Raptors players Undrafted NBA players United States Basketball League players Washington Wizards players Zhejiang Golden Bulls players

College career

Professional career

Career in Europe

NBA career

Detroit Pistons

Toronto Raptors

Minnesota Timberwolves

Houston Rockets

Later career

Post-NBA career

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

Personal life

References

External links