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| The MVP for October is Monaco's Mike James |
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After a historic first season with AS Monaco, Mike James has been even hotter to start his second and his spectacular performance over the first month of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has led to his choice as Euroleague Basketball's MVP of the Month for October 2022. Despite playing four of their first five games on the road - including several against stiff competition, James has led Monaco to a 4-1 record and is the league's top scorer with 21.4 points per game. The electrifying guard finished the month second in the league in performance index rating with 22.8 per game. The selection of James adds to his growing legacy in the competition as he became just the second player to ever be named the EuroLeague MVP of the Month four times.
Now in its 18th season, the MVP of the Month prize is awarded by Euroleague Basketball to the player who has excelled both individually and collectively during the month in question. James has secured this honor for the second time as a Monaco player, as he was named MVP of the Month in March 2022. Previously he also won the award in February 2019 with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and in November 2021 with CSKA Moscow.
Monaco began the 2022-23 season with a 66-83 victory on the road at Virtus Segafredo Bologna, in which James had a PIR of 30 after scoring 26 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, dishing 6 assists and drawing 5 fouls. He followed that up with 19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 20 in Monaco's 95-92 overtime win at home over defending champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Round 2. Monaco tasted defeat for the first time in Round 3 on the road at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, a game in which James had 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. The 32-year-old responded in a big way during the next two games, both of which were in Greece. First, against his former team Panathinaikos Athens in Round 4, James ended up sharing MVP of the Round honors after recording a PIR of 29 with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 12 fouls drawn to his name. Then, in Monaco's last game of October, he played a crucial role in the team's win over then-unbeaten Olympiacos, finishing with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals en route to a PIR of 23.
To end the month, James has posted averages of 21.4 points on 62.8% two-point shooting and 80.6% from the free-throw line, as well as 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.8 steals and 5.6 fouls drawn during his first five games of the season. Monaco has been able to record a couple of statement wins so far this season and, with James as its leader on the court, it appears as though the excitement that the team generated over the summer may end up reaping rewards come playoff time. For now, though, Monaco fans will be able to pay tribute to James for his MVP of the Month honor during a future home game at Salle Gaston Medecin.
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