Louisville G/F Mike James Says He’s Cleared Following Achilles Injury

The redshirt freshman wing was forced to miss the entire 2021-22 season.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - While we still have roughly three months until the Kenny Payne era of the Louisville men's basketball program officially gets underway on the hardwood, they received some much needed good news on the injury front on Tuesday.

Guard/forward Mike James, who was forced to miss the entire 2021-22 season due to an Achilles injury suffered in the preseason, announced on social media that he has been cleared to resume full contact basketball activities. He is heading into his redshirt freshman year with the program.

"CLEARED! Let’s get to work #TGBTG," James posted to Twitter.

The Orlando, Fla. native had impressed his coaches and teammates from the moment he set foot on campus last summer, and was trending towards being a key piece in Louisville's rotation. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon just one week into the preseason.

"It definitely hurt. I was doing good in practice, getting better each and every practice leading up to the season. For that to happen to me, it kinda hurt," he said during Louisville's 2021 Media Day. "But I'll get over it. Just be a better teammate, cheer my team on during the year, and look forward to next year when I'm healthy."

While he has yet to make his collegiate debut, the 6-foot-6, 195-pound wing likely will play a large role in the upcoming 2022-23 season. Louisville lost multiple guards to graduation and the transfer portal, leaving El Ellis as the lone true scholarship ball handler on the roster.

With the ability to play both the two and the three, James will contend for the other starting spot in the backcourt, as will incoming freshmen wings Kamari Lands and Devin Ree. Louisville also brought in walk-on guard Hercy Miller, and is still expected to bring on Class of 2022 guard Fabio Basili at some point in time.

James averaged 19.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game as a senior for Oak Ridge HS, helping lead them to a 23-3 record and a berth in the Class 7A semifinals. He also shot 58 percent from the field and 44 percent on three-point attempts.

He was ranked as the No. 81 overall player in the Class of 2021, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was also voted as the 2020-21 Orlando Sentinel boys basketball Player of the Year, and the Florida Class 7A Player of the Year.

(Photo of Mike James via University of Louisville Athletics)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleReport
Twitter - @UofLReport
Instagram - @louisville_report

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter