TJ Shorts, Paris’ point guard, spoke to Basketball Sphere about the upcoming challenges in the EuroLeague, Tuomas Iisalo’s departure to the NBA, Tiago Splitter, offers from other clubs this summer, why he stayed with the same team, and also touched on the upcoming game against Partizan, describing how he views the quality of that opponent.
Modern basketball has brought with it certain principles characteristic of this era. Nowadays, every team is looking for a player who can switch and guard multiple positions, with “size” becoming increasingly important, as it typically makes it easier to neutralize the opponent’s advantages. On the offensive side of the court, teams are striving for more versatile solutions. A high-quality three-point shot is almost mandatory, even for big men, ball handling is something that makes a difference, and without offensive talent, it’s hard to be an important factor at the EuroLeague level. Versatility in defense and versatility in offense – these are the traits that currently define the trends in modern basketball.
All of the above outlines the key reasons why many believed TJ Shorts wouldn’t be someone who could make a difference at the highest level. Standing at just 175cm, he was previously considered a suitable “target” for every opposing offense, and somewhat weaker shooting percentages did not guarantee he could compensate for it on the other end.
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It doesn’t matter who doesn’t believe in you, but who does
However, despite the fact that many did not believe in his abilities, the most important thing is that Tuomas Iisalo did. The Finnish coach, from Crailsheim and Bonn to Paris, has managed to maximize his skillset, and now TJ Shorts is considered one of the best players in his position in Europe and is expected to be the leader of the new EuroLeague team in the upcoming season.
A FIBA Champions League winner with Bonn, where he also claimed the MVP title of the Final Four, TJ Shorts then took a step up by leading Paris to the EuroCup trophy in a brutally dominant fashion, once again earning the MVP award, while averaging 18 points, 3.4 rebounds, and seven assists. He proved that, despite the aforementioned shortcomings “required by modern basketball”, which he lacks, he possesses the most important quality – incredible skill.
Bien arrivés à Belgrade 🇷🇸📍
— Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) September 14, 2024
First training done ✅ pic.twitter.com/6HQ7uk4VWS
The most decorated coach in Europe, Zeljko Obradovic, when comparing basketball trends across different eras, has said that what will always remain true is that a good player is – a good player, regardless of whether they meet “modern” criteria. This perfectly describes TJ Shorts, who will try to do in the upcoming season what he has successfully done in previous years: prove that he belongs, in this case, among the highest level of competition. In that sense, he is on familiar ground, despite the fact that in the coming months, he will be stepping onto the courts of some of the biggest arenas in Europe for the first time.
,,It’s a huge honor. It’s a goal of mine that I’ve been trying to reach since coming over to Europe and learning about different levels at different states”, started TJ Shorts conversation with Basketball Sphere.
,,Be able to call myself a EuroLeague player and compete with the top talent not only in Europe but in the world… There’s a bunch of guys from the NBA, top level talents that are playing in the EuroLeague, so it’s a really it’s a blessing to be able to say that I’m a part of such a league. The expectations are hopefully to be as competitive as possible. I understand this is a this is a huge jump.
This is no longer the EuroCup or the FIBA Champions league, this is probably one step under the NBA if not right neck and neck with NBA, so I’m just trying to kind of find my way find my place in the league and hopefully I can have an impact on my team with Paris and basically continue to prove to the others that are watching and proved to basically myself that I belong in this league.”
Playing against Facundo Campazzo will be kind of a surreal moment
In the EuroLeague, he faces extremely challenging matchups on a weekly basis. On the other side of the court will be top-tier opponents, with whom he will have the opportunity to compete, but also to learn from at the same time, in order to elevate his game even further. Of all of them, last season’s EuroCup MVP is particularly eager to test himself against one player, whom he follows with a bit more interest than the others.
,,Obviously, the more I learned about Europe the more players I start to follow, but I think the one is definitely Facundo Campazzo. Just the way he’s able to run the offense, get his shots off, get teammates involved, be aggressive on defense, kind of do a little bit of everything to help his team winning and obviously he’s played at the highest level EuroLeague for very long time, NBA also. This is a guy who is a proven winner.
To be able to play against him… I mean obviously in the moment it would be competition but at the same time be able to learn and watch him over the course of the season… I’ve already been watching him since I’ve came to Europe and learn more about the game here but it’ll be a definitely kind of a surreal moment to be able to step out on the court and feel like wow I’m playing against one of the guys I’ve been watching as I’ve been try to grow my game.”
Despite the fact that TJ Shorts defies some trends in modern basketball, he is far from being entirely outside that system, especially considering how both Bonn and Paris utilized small lineups with mobile centers to maintain a high tempo. Last season, the French team ranked among the top in both offensive and defensive ratings, which is a true rarity.
While it’s evident that TJ Shorts had a significant offensive impact on the team, on the defensive end, Tuomas Iisalo managed to “hide” him through various zone defense schemes. In this way, the Finnish coach created a real machine, one based not on modern basketball, but on the “basketball of the future”, as Iisalo explained his philosophy in an interview with Basketball Sphere a few months ago.
On Tuomas Iisalo departure
His move to the NBA as the lead assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies was, therefore, a logical next step, given that he represents a true basketball revolutionary. And even though it seemed inevitable, TJ Shorts admitted that he had mixed feelings about the decision. Now, he will no longer have his mentor by his side, the one who was his extended hand on the court and with whom he grew simultaneously in the basketball world.
,,It was it was definitely a surprise when the news dropped he had brought us in, and we had a meeting. He shared the news with us and obviously in the moment you have a mixed emotions. You’re a little hurt, you’re happy, you’re sad. All kinds of things that are going through your head but at the end of the day it’s just a little bit of a reminder that it is a business, regardless of like what kind of relationships you build with a team, with coaches with players.
At the end of the day I always say it guys have to kind of look out for themselves and the decision the coach made I’m nothing but happy for him. I’m happy to see him reach the highest level in I think that’s what every hooper or coach that’s their dreams to you know one day make it to the NBA, so it was a surprising factor but at the end of the day I’m happy for them I’m glad he’s in a place where he’s happy and he can hopefully continue to be successful.”
,,Nothing compares to Malaga”
They’ve been through a lot together. A few years ago, when they were part of Crailsheim, the odds were higher that they wouldn’t succeed— for both of them. Now, people are talking about them extensively, and it seems they haven’t said their final word yet and are about to shake up the biggest stage. One moment will remain especially memorable in their story.
,,There’s nothing that will compare to the weekend we had in Malaga at the FIBA Champions League. The confidence that he instilled to me the, the belief that I had in myself from him was like through the moon. I was at such a just good place in my head because of the words he was able to give me the feeling he made me have.
That’s the best basketball I’ve ever played in my life in that one stretch of weekend against both Malaga and Hapoel Jerusalem. That moment winning our first trophy together it kind of solidified that like all the work that we put in it works so, that moment right there was one in that I will definitely cherish forever. I could go down a whole list of other moments as well yes that is definitely the one stands out the most then any other one.”
On the coaching change
Iisalo has been replaced as head coach by former NBA center Tiago Splitter, who will also be in his (coaching) rookie season in the EuroLeague. TJ Shorts had become accustomed to a specific practice rhythm, divided into intervals where players would give 100 percent, then rest, in turns. This maintained a high intensity, and that same philosophy was applied to games, which, according to the Paris point guard, were easier than the practices. Now, along with a new head coach, there are also some new players like Maodo Lo, Kevarrius Hayes, Daulton Hommes, and Yakuba Outtara, all with EuroLeague experience. Has that changed anything?
,,With a new coach coming in there’s always gonna be some difficulties there’s always going to be some good things as well. It’s been a good transition, bacause he was assistant coach for a long time with the Brazilian national team, he’s with the NBA as well and then he’s had a long career in the EuroLeague in both NBA. The main thing that he really brings to the team is that he’s kind of like a player’s coach. He’s a very young coach, very ambitious, a guy that wants to prove that he belongs as well but he finds a way to kind of connect to the players because he’s played at these levels so he’s been able to kind of share different moments kind of what to expect going into the EuroLeague.”
Because of his previous background, it seems like it’s easier for Brazilian to adapt to a new job.
,,He played different things to look out for and even for me since he’s a big man he’s kind of sharing with me little things like when I come off a ball screen how I can look at the big man because he’s a guy that played in that position. For him to be able to bring his insight, bring his knowledge that he has as a player and now transfer it over as a coach it’s been huge.
The practices have been very smooth, we’re doing a lot of the same kind of things that we’ve been doing in the previous year, but also he’s adding his own little twist to a few things his own little philosophies that he feels might work better with the team that we have so I think it’s been a good combination of keeping up some of the old stuff that that worked and also bring it in some new ideas that could help us be even more successful.”
“I wanted to stay in Paris”
There were rumors that the coaching change might mean TJ Shorts would leave Paris. However, he decided to build his EuroLeague journey in a familiar environment, aware of how important the first year in the elite competition is.
,,The main thing when I was going about my summer and obviously finding the news at the coach is leaving just realizing going into the EuroLeague how important your rookie season is because this is the season where not only for yourself but there’s a lot of eyes that are watching you. There’s a lot of other coaches a lot of other GMs just other teams not only the team that should add that are waching in. You want to be in a situation where you’re comfortable, where you know you can have a big role, you can succeed and that’s kind of the thought process that I have going into the summer.
Yes, our coach was leaving but I had talks with the our GM with who he was trying to bring in as a new coach and I like the vision that he had and I felt I could still be able to play my game, be able to showcase what I’m able to do. That was the ultimate decision on why I wanted to stay and also with the group that we had, we got so much chemistry together. Then you add a couple more pieces and hopefully it’ll click like it’s worked in the last couple years.”
There was talk of interest from Maccabi Tel Aviv over the summer, as well as from some other EuroLeague clubs. After two seasons in which he dominated European competitions, it’s no surprise. He is grateful for all of it.
,,In the summer is always a lot of rumors that kind of go about different EuroLeague teams that were reaching out. I never really like to talk about it much but there were other teams that were definitely reaching out, that were calling my agent asking what my situation was but ultimately I felt it was best for me to stay here in Paris and start my rookie season here.
For the fans to be able to show me love in a time where I haven’t even stepped foot on the court and for a EuroLeague game it’s it’s incredible. It’s a blessing. I’m receiving messages in the summer, people are commenting on my post ‘oh come to this team, come here’. It’s it really is an incredible feeling even if you know that you won’t go to that team necessarily right now. It’s always nice to have kind of fans that appreciate what you do on the basketball court.”
Paris is currently in Belgrade, where the team is participating in a preparatory tournament featuring AEK and Partizan. After the game against the Greek team, TJ Shorts will have the opportunity to test himself against a EuroLeague team (on Sunday), whose coach he particularly highlighted for his quality.
,,When you have a Zeljko Obradovic, head coach like that, he’s gonna find a way to make that team successful. I’m following the summer, and the new signings. They almost completely change their whole team but it looks like a team that’s going to be very solid on defense. They got great guard play with Iffe Lundberg, and Carlik Jones, who had a great Olympics and summer stretch. It’s gonna be a team that’s going to be very tough and I think there will be a team that’s gonna be competing for a playoff spot.
It’s going to be a big fight. We know it’s preseason, not a lot of scouting going on right now, but we will go out there we’ll try our best. I know it’s gonna be probably a hostile environment with the fans and stuff but it’ll be a good experience for us to kind of feel that like energy and see kind of where we stand and match up against guys that have been in the EuroLeague for multiple years.”
On Isaia Mike, and Partizan fans
At Partizan, there is also a very familiar face to TJ Shorts, the currently injured Isaia Mike, who previously played for Bourg. They have battled each other both in the LNB Pro A and in the EuroCup final, so they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
,,First of all, hopefully he gets healthy as fast as possible and has no more like injury problems. He’s a guy that kind of does a little bit of everything. He’s a very dynamic player, he can shoot the ball, he dribbles it, he can finish at the rim, he’s also athletic. He was one of the highlights on our scouting report, the guy that we had to kind of key in on. I really do hope he has a great season. Obviously, when we play against him I hope his games are not the best (laugh). I’m definitely room for him and that’s a guy that I’ve gotten to know over my time in France. Great guy.”
Partizan players celebrate the win over AEK with the fans.#partizan #kkp #kkpartizan pic.twitter.com/fgYS9xfGKq
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) September 13, 2024
Not only will they face a EuroLeague team, but Paris will also have the opportunity to experience what it’s like to play in front of Partizan’s fans, who are renowned throughout Europe. It will be a new experience for the team, essential for adapting to the challenges of the upcoming season.
,,Talking to my friends, my parents, and teammates, this is definitely the road trip that kind of everyone looks forward to. Just to be able to experience the fans, experience the energy because it’s something that I don’t think you can really explain. Obviously, you see the videos, you see the EuroLeague games, but once you’re in it, you don’t know how you’re gonna respond, you don’t know how you’re gonna feel.
I’m very happy that we’re able to get this in the preseason so that we kind of get a little sneak peek at what we’re gonna maybe expecting Stark Arena. This is part of the best fan base in Europe, they’re up there with teams like Panathinaikos. This is one of those ones where you’re gonna have to kind of look around, maybe take it in for a moment and then lock back into the game and try your best to tune them out. I don’t know if that’s possible but we will try our best to cancel out the noise and focus on the game and hopefully we go for a win”, concluded TJ Shorts conversation to Basketball Sphere.
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