Mike James Brushes Off Euroleague Schedule Criticism
After Anadolu Efes's win over Real Madrid, the American guard said he wants even more games, days after his former club Monaco was denied entry to any pro league.
Mike James dismissed criticism of the Euroleague calendar after Anadolu Efes beat Real Madrid 94-84, telling fans on social media that his side already has another game in 48 hours.
A supporter had flagged the workload on players. James was having none of it.
"The season is too long. My God, too many matches, so many flights… Enough letting these people go on and on. There are 38 matches in the season over eight whole months. I make my living playing basketball. I wish there were even more matches," James wrote.
The 36-year-old guard joined Anadolu Efes this summer after a long spell at Monaco, a move that came together only after his proposed transfer to Barcelona collapsed following Xavier Pascual's departure. Monaco itself has had no such schedule to complain about: the club has been shut out of a professional competition altogether, after France's basketball federation rejected its bid for a third-division licence over failed financial guarantees, an appeal that was then turned down by the country's Olympic and Sport Committee. Monaco has since written to the Adriatic League seeking entry into its second division, leaving James's old side hoping for any fixture list at all while its former guard complains only of having too many.
About this article
Prepared by the editorial team with the help of algorithms, based on the sources listed