[2] He registered a 52-point game on January 4, 2011, against Louisiana College, which the Lamar Cardinals won 114–62,[6] breaking the previous record of 50 set by Mike Oliver in 1980.

In February 2013, he signed with Hapoel Galil Elyon of the Israeli second-tier league for the rest of the season.

In July 2013, James signed with Paffoni Omegna of Italy under their DNA Silver Basket league name for the 2013–14 season.

[12] On December 2, 2014, he left Kolossos and signed with the Spanish club Laboral Kutxa Baskonia of the Liga ACB for the rest of the season.

[15] During that season, Saski Baskonia would reach the EuroLeague Final Four, losing to the Fenerbahçe Ülker and the PBC Lokomotiv Kuban for a fourth-place performance.

On July 3, 2017, James signed with the Phoenix Suns and joined the team for the 2017 NBA Summer League.

He also became the first player to sign a two-way contract in the NBA after spending multiple years overseas in international leagues.

James made his NBA debut on October 18, 2017, against the Portland Trail Blazers, recording 12 points that night.

[18] James became the first player to sign a two-way contract to also start with the team that signed him on, as he became the starting point guard on the October 23 game against the Sacramento Kings under interim head coach Jay Triano, recording 18 points and a team-high 7 assists in a 117–115 win.

[22] James would play his last game under his original two-way contract on December 5 against the Toronto Raptors, recording 10 points in a 126–113 loss.

During this time, James would be considered the biggest success story to date revolving around the NBA's newest implemented system.

[30] But despite the statistically excellent season, the incoming Olimpia Milano coach, Ettore Messina, declared Mike James wouldn't be part of the 2019–20 team plans.

On August 5, 2019, James signed a one-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League and the EuroLeague.

[34] On September 11, 2021, James and the Russian club officially reached a buy-out agreement in order to terminate their mutual contract.

[36] On the same day of his signing, James debuted for the Nets against the Boston Celtics, logging eight points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and 1-of-1 from three-point range to go along with two rebounds and two assists across 21 minutes in a 109–104 win.

[46] On March 7, 2024, Mike James became the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer during a regular season game against Red Star Belgrade.

[47] On May 14, James was named the EuroLeague MVP for the 2023–24 season after leading Monaco to a club record in wins and scoring in double-digits in all of his games.

[52] Three years later in TBT 2019, James led Team Hines to the Semifinal Round in which they lost to the Golden Eagles, 68–62.

[54] In early August 2022, James received media attention after making critical comments about NBA star Stephen Curry.

[55] Curry himself later jokingly referred to the "one-dimensional" jab from James while talking with the media at a basketball camp he was hosting for elite high school players.