BEAUMONT, Texas – Former Lamar University standout, and EuroLeague superstar Mike James is taking on a leadership role with Team USA on their World Cup Qualifying team. Serving as team captain, James has led the American squad to a near perfect 5-1 (.833) overall record to lead Group A and secure a spot in the next round.
 
The FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers are a series of regional games that determine which national teams from North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America advance to the FIBA AmeriCup – the continent's premier quadrennial men's basketball championship.
 
James, who played for Big Red from 2010-12 and currently stars for AS Monaco, made his Team USA debut with a 15-point, 12-assist effort in a thrilling victory over the Dominican Republic.
 
James' career has seen him climb to an all-star level in Europe and he eventually would make his way to the NBA where he spent some time with the Phoenix Suns in 2017 and the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018. He also spent a brief time with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021.
 
In 2024, James set the new EuroLeague scoring record when he netted the 4,457^th point of his career. James reached the career milestone in just 271 games.
 
During his LU career, James knocked down 313 shots – including 74 three-pointers and graduated with just under 900 career points (15.1 ppg) in only two seasons. A 2012 first-team All-Southland Conference selection, James guided Lamar to a 23-12 (.657) record as a senior and an NCAA tournament appearance. Along the way, he was named SLC tournament MVP during the Cardinals' magic run through the postseason that year.