Professional Career
Mike remained positive and opted for a start in the European professional leagues instead. Mike enjoyed several stellar seasons as an integral player with both the French and Austrian teams. He began his NBA career when he signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat during the 2001–02 season. He has since played for the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors averaging 11.9 points per game for his career. As the starting point guard for the Raptors during the 2005–06 season, he 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 which ranked among the league leaders.
On April 11, 2006, Mike James became the first Raptor to score 30 or more points in 4 consecutive games.
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, because of their aggressive nature on defense.
In spite of his strong play during the 2005–06 season for the Raptors, he was criticized as being somewhat of a one-dimensional player. Despite being an above-average shooter from the point guard spot, his playmaking abilities were called into question at times as well as his commitment to defense, in stark contrast to his "pit bull" days with the Pistons. 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 Detroit Pistons.
On July 11, 2006, James signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves for a reported four years, with a player option on the last year, and with a trade kicker clause, which would raise his salary by 15% automatically if he were to be traded. Much of the 2006–07 season was marred by mediocre play, which limited his minutes to 25, down from the 37 he averaged during his career year in Toronto.
On June 14, 2007 it was officially announced that James and teammate Justin Reed would be traded to the Houston Rockets for Juwan Howard.
On February 21, 2008 it was announced that James and teammate Bonzi Wells would be traded to the New Orleans Hornets for Bobby Jackson, and Adam Haluska. This ended his second short tenure as a Houston Rocket.
James was traded on December 10, 2008 in a three team trade between the New Orleans Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards. 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 Washington Wizards 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.
In February 2011 he signed with Aliağa Petkim in Turkey.
James later joined the Erie Bayhawks in the NBA Development League. He 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 by the Bulls for the rest of the season.
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