Anadolu Efes Istanbul have officially confirmed that star guard Mike James sustained an Achilles tendon injury during Thursday’s EuroLeague Round 3 matchup against Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade.
The Turkish organization released an initial medical update following its 77-72 road defeat, confirming the nature of the injury while indicating that additional examinations would be necessary to determine the appropriate treatment.
“Detailed examinations will be conducted for Mike James, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury, and a treatment plan will be put in place,” Efes announced.
However, the club has not yet disclosed the severity of the damage or established whether James suffered a complete Achilles tendon rupture. His recovery timetable also remains uncertain pending further medical evaluation.
The incident occurred with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter, when the 36-year-old accelerated toward a loose ball before suddenly collapsing without making contact with another player.
James immediately grabbed his lower right leg and received medical attention on the court before being carried away on a stretcher.
Prior to his departure, the EuroLeague’s all-time leading scorer had registered 11 points and 3 assists in 22 minutes and 30 seconds of playing time.
Following the game, James broke his silence on social media, expressing his frustration with the injury while acknowledging the messages of support he had received.
“Well, it sucks…” James wrote. “F**king awful.
“Thank you for everybody who reached out.”
