Mike James: The former Olimpia player’s heartfelt message after the dramatic loss

Mike James has received the news that no athlete would ever want to hear. The injury he sustained in the last EuroLeague game has turned out to be extremely serious (a ruptured Achilles tendon is the final diagnosis) and will force the American star to take a long hiatus, abruptly cutting short a season that had just begun.

The Anadolu Efes point guard went down during the road game against Red Star, which ended in a 77-72 loss for the Turkish team. Before the incident that left his teammates and fans stunned, the former Olimpia Milano player had made his mark on the game with 11 points and 3 assists. Subsequent tests confirmed the worst-case scenario: James has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, an injury that will require a particularly long recovery period and risks keeping him off the court for the entire season.

A few hours after learning the results of the tests, the 36-year-old decided to break his silence on social media. No long statement, just a short, direct sentence that perfectly captures his state of mind: “Well, s***, what a shitty situation! Thanks to everyone who reached out. I appreciate each and every one of you.”

An understandable outburst from a player who, despite his age, remains one of the iconic figures of European basketball. Within minutes, Mike James’s social media profile was flooded with messages of affection and encouragement from fans, colleagues, and enthusiasts, all united in the hope of seeing him back on the court soon.