Ex-Roca Team guard Mike James sidelined for up to nine months
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Mike James, who starred for AS Monaco's Roca Team before joining Efes Istanbul this summer, will miss seven to nine months after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Mike James, one of the most recognisable faces to have worn the Roca Team jersey, has suffered a serious right Achilles tendon injury that will keep him off the court for between seven and nine months, Efes Istanbul confirmed on Friday.
The American guard left AS Monaco Basket for the Turkish club this summer after several seasons in the Principality during which he became a key figure in the team's rise to the top of European basketball, including EuroLeague finals appearances and a reputation as one of the competition's most dangerous scorers. His departure had already left a gap in the Roca Team roster, and this injury now ends any prospect of a swift return to top-level competition.
For followers of Monaco basketball, the news closes a chapter on one of the club's most successful eras, with James having been central to the identity Roca Team built on the European stage. The timeline puts his return in question for much of the coming season, a blow for Efes but also a reminder in Monaco of how quickly a team's fortunes can turn once star players move on.