Mike James’s Injury Is Very Serious: The Poignant Message from the Former Olimpia Player

Mike James’s season may already be over. The American veteran has received the news everyone feared following the injury he sustained during the final game of the EuroLeague season—a diagnosis that represents a devastating setback at a particularly critical juncture in his career: a torn Achilles tendon.

The former Olimpia Milano player was injured during Anadolu Efes’s road game in Belgrade against Red Star, a match the Serbs went on to win 77-72. Until the moment of his injury, which occurred in the closing moments of the third quarter, James was making his usual contribution to the Turkish team’s cause with 11 points and 3 assists on the scoreboard.

Exams conducted in the hours that followed confirmed the initial fears of the club and James himself: the player suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, one of the most dreaded injuries for any professional athlete and one that inevitably entails a very long recovery time.

After the severity of the injury was confirmed, James decided to vent his frustration on social media. The message posted by the American was brief but extremely telling: “Well, s***… What a shitty situation! Thanks to everyone who reached out. I appreciate each and every one of you.”