In Paris Basketball's win over Panathinaikos, TJ Shorts II continued his stellar EuroLeague season, narrowly missing a historic triple-double. The American guard reflected on his journey to the top, Kendrick Nunn’s talent, and Tuomas Iisalo’s NBA move.
TJ Shorts II, the dynamic point guard for Paris Basketball, has been making waves in the EuroLeague with his exceptional performances and leadership on the court.
Player of the Game
TJ Shorts II
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TJ Shorts II
Points
Accuracy
Rebounds
Assists
Already a legit MVP candidate, Shorts put the icing on the cake with his near triple-double performance last Friday when Paris downed reigning EuroLeague champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (101-98) to record their 18th win in 32 games.
The American guard handed out 14 assists and tied his career record in the competition, while missing a triple-double for one rebound. He would have become the fourth player in the league's 25-year history with double figures in three statistical categories after Nikola Vujcic, Nick Calathes and Codi Miller-McIntyre.
Overall, he finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 14 assists, 2 steals, 9 fouls drawn, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls and 36 points in the rating system. In 31 games in his first season in the EuroLeague he has averaged 18.8 points on 42.1% 3PT shooting, 2.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 23.4 points in PIR per 27:11.
Despite standing at 1.75 meters, Shorts showcased his versatility once again against Panathinaikos.
"I saw a week ago that Miller-McIntyre said I can get a triple-double," he told Vassiliki Karamouza from SPORT24, referring to what the Crvena Zvezda point guard had told BasketNews after the Serbian team's win in Piraeus.
"I need to focus more on rebounds," he conceded, concurring with Miller-McIntyre.
"Credit goes to my teammates who boxed out. They did the dirty work; I just collected them; my job was easy."
When asked about securing a 2-0 record against Panathinaikos, he admitted, "I certainly didn't expect it. Every time you beat the European champions, it's huge. Obviously, a win in such an environment, in such an arena, is even better."
Points this season
Paris Basketball
EuroLeague
Paris Basketball's victories over both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos in Athens underscore the team's resilience. Shorts emphasized their unwavering determination:
"It shows that we never stop fighting. We never give up; that's our motto. We'll continue to fight in the next two games, and hopefully, we'll keep playing even more games. Obviously, we lost a close game to Fenerbahce, and now we responded against the champions."
Discussing game strategy, particularly regarding fouling to disrupt opponents' rhythm, Shorts explained, "You have to read the game. Sometimes you have to cut their rhythm by sending them to the line. We stuck to our game plan; it wasn't the idea to foul, it depends on the flow of the game. There were times we tried to stop the rhythm, and we did a good job today."
In an interview with Sportal's Kostas Sotiriou, Shorts reflected on his journey from lower divisions to the EuroLeague.
"It's been a journey to climb the ranks of Europe. This has obviously been one of my goals to get to the top of the European League. For me to be able to play now in the EuroLeague, it's a huge honor. It's a huge accomplishment for myself, and this is what I've been working for summer after summer—to one day get to this stage and prove to everybody that I can compete at this level."
TJ Shorts' journey from underdog to EuroLeague standout exemplifies his dedication and passion for the game, inspiring teammates and fans alike with his tenacity and skill.
When asked about handling compliments from coaches and opponents (most notably Ergin Ataman, who called him 'the best point guard in the EuroLeague'), Shorts attributed his humility to his upbringing.
"It's a credit to my parents. They raised me the right way. They said when the compliments come, obviously take them with class and be respectful. Even when the compliments don't come and people are being not so nice, you got to take that as well. So you just got to stay even-keeled, not get too high, not get too low, and focus on yourself."
Looking ahead, Shorts remains focused on taking the season one game at a time.
"Going to Real Madrid is not gonna be easy against a very experienced team, and it's gonna be another final. All these games are finals because we're trying to get to that top six, if not get to those play-ins to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs and make history with Paris Basketball."
Shorts also expressed admiration for coach Tuomas Iisalo's recent move to the NBA, as the Finnish mastermind, who coached him both at Telekom Baskets Bonn and Paris, has taken over the Memphis Grizzlies as their interim coach.
"Congratulations to him. It's a big thing to go from the EuroCup to an NBA team. I think that's every coach's dream. I wish him success. I'm a Lakers fan, so I hope he doesn't face the Lakers in the playoffs. I'm happy for him," Shorts said.
In a game where TJ Shorts came one rebound short of triple double, Kendrick Nunn needed one rebounds and two assists to achieve the same feat. The former Lakers guard, who recently agreed to extend his stay in Athens until 2028, is also regarded as one of the frontrunners for the EuroLeague MVP award.
"He's an incredible talent obviously," Shorts admitted. "It's very clear what he did last year. You might have thought that he couldn't elevate his game, but he took it to another level. So, it's a huge honor to go head up with the best in Europe," he told Ole.gr's Manos Fyrogenis.
"It's a credit to him," Shorts added. "I mean, he's a super talented basketball player and when I can step on the court and go up against him, it's nothing but respect - and I hope it's the same from him."
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