Can Valencia Basket really return to the top four teams in Europe, as they did last season for the first time in the club’s history? A question that seemed almost unthinkable over the summer, when the Taronja side were raided by some of the continent’s biggest clubs —losing Jean Montero, Brancou Badio, Jaime Pradilla, Braxton Key and head coach Pedro Martínez, among others— is now gaining real traction during the opening stretch of the EuroLeague season. Although this is clearly a team still under construction, Xavi Albert’s side —with the young coach having served as Martínez’s assistant last season and making his EuroLeague head-coaching debut this year— are beginning to make a case for being considered, at the very least, among the teams capable of challenging for a place in Abu Dhabi next May.
After ten rounds of the regular season, almost one-third of the competition, Valencia Basket boast a 7-3 record, good for third place in the standings, behind only Panathinaikos and Crvena Zvezda, although level with the Serbian side on wins and losses. Following their comeback win in Milan last Thursday —capped by a remarkable 14-33 fourth-quarter run as they came away with an 73-84 victory— that record also matches the best start in the club’s EuroLeague history, set during the 2020-21 season.
The undisputed leader of this project so far has been TJ Shorts. Eager to reassert himself as one of Europe’s premier stars after struggling to make his mark during his spell at Panathinaikos, the Californian guard has taken charge and become the team’s primary offensive engine. In fact, the EuroLeague has just named him MVP of the Month for October, an award that also takes into account the first two games played in September. Averaging 17.1 points, 5.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game, along with a PIR of 20.7, Shorts has simply been the EuroLeague’s best player. He currently ranks third in scoring, as well as third in both assists and performance index rating. And in an area that has long been one of his biggest weaknesses, he is showing significant improvement: he is shooting an outstanding 54.5% from beyond the arc, having knocked down seven of his 13 attempts. That is not a particularly high volume of three-point attempts, but it nevertheless represents a remarkable improvement in efficiency for a player whose career shooting percentage from deep in the EuroLeague stands under 35%.
Still, despite Shorts’ clear leadership, Valencia Basket are showing another hugely encouraging sign: they are finding ways to win even when key players are unavailable. The latest example came in Milan, where the Spanish side secured victory despite being severely depleted in the frontcourt, with Nikola Mirotic, Nate Reuvers and Mo Gueye all sidelined.
Mirotic’s injury, in particular, is a significant setback. The Spanish international, who was born in Montenegro, is dealing with a muscle problem in his left adductor. Despite arriving as a late signing, with the season already on the verge of getting underway, he had quickly established himself as one of the team’s key players. His solid averages of 13 points and 3.1 rebounds per game give the Levantine side a reliable option both in the low post and on the perimeter. He also provides Xavi Albert with an excellent alternative when games become bogged down and Valencia are unable to impose the frenetic pace they usually like to play at.
However, several players have stepped up in the face of these absences. One is the remarkably consistent Kameron Taylor, who finished with 17 points and five rebounds in Milan. Another is Armoni Brooks, who, after an inconsistent start to the season, is now finding his shooting touch. He is averaging 18 points over his last six EuroLeague appearances, scoring at least 14 in every one of them. With 16 points and four three-pointers, the American guard was particularly damaging against his former team in Milan.
As a result, Valencia Basket continue to strengthen their case as a team capable of making at least another run at the playoffs. But does that make them genuine Final Four contenders already? It may be too early to say so with any degree of certainty, particularly in a competition as long and demanding as the EuroLeague. Nevertheless, after all the question marks surrounding the project over the summer, the start to the season could hardly have been more encouraging for the fans filling the magnificent Roig Arena.