Monaco is Mike James' fifth team in the Euroleague.
All of his previous teams were factory-based and traditional, with recently - CSKA Moscow - having ambitions for the title.
James, who signed with the team from the Princesses on Friday, is changing phase and turning in a new direction after his release from CSKA during last season, due to frictions with coach Dimitrios Itudis.
James will have to get used to something completely different from what he has become accustomed to in recent years.
A combination of desires and a special situation led to the surprising transfer of the summer, from which two things can be deduced.
The first is that Monaco are not going to take their Euroleague debut season as a trip or as an experience, they want immediate success - to reach the playoffs, which will ensure another Euroleague season.
Mike James.
Will play in the City of Lights // Photo: EPI,
The second thing is the change of direction of the 31-year-old player, who knows that he belongs to the top and this time goes to a different kind of challenge.
Take a small club in order to put it firmly on the European map.
"I look forward to a different and exciting challenge," the player said after signing.
"I wanted to start something new compared to what I have done in recent years. This is an opportunity for a new adventure."
James and 12 others
No one talked about Monaco in Europe until last season, so she surprised and won the EuroCup.
The return to coach Zevzdan Mitrovic's club has been good for both sides, and reaching the Euroleague has whetted the appetite.
She made a big buying spree even before James, with 12 new players.
Now, with the arrival of the great icon, it is already changing direction and expectations and is a big leap forward.
Mike James in a Milan uniform.
Change direction //, gettyimages
James will receive the highest salary ever received by a player in the French league, when according to estimates in Europe it is about one million euros.
For the club it is a huge sum.
For the player, who has become accustomed in recent years to a salary of around two million euros, this is the lowest amount in recent years.
But do not worry about him - allowing the contract he had for the next season in CSKA will arrange for him to complete a handsome income.