TJ Shorts produced a season with Paris Basketball that placed him firmly in the EuroLeague MVP conversation in 2025. Yet he failed to replicate those performances wearing the Panathinaikos jersey. Who is responsible for that outcome, and what will the American point guard be looking for next season in Valencia?
Basketball Champions League MVP in 2023 and champion of FIBA’s premier club competition with Bonn. EuroCup MVP in 2024 and champion of the competition with Paris in the same year.
Taking the difficult route throughout his European journey, TJ Shorts climbed the ladder step by step before introducing himself on the biggest stage of European basketball. Before making his EuroLeague debut with the French club, the questions surrounding him focused on his size and whether his game could translate to a league that is more physical and significantly more demanding.
His answers during the 2024-25 season were emphatic, backed by eye-catching numbers: 19 points (52% on two-pointers, 36.1% from three), 2.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1 steal in 27:19 minutes per game, helping Paris reach the postseason through the Play-In Tournament. Shorts proved to the entire continent that he belonged at the highest level and left a lasting impression with his rookie EuroLeague campaign.
He scored at will, attacked the rim relentlessly, created opportunities for his teammates, pushed the pace in the blink of an eye and played with the confidence of a superstar. At the same time, Tiago Splitter made sure that Paris’ overall defensive structure prevented him from becoming a target on the other end of the floor.
Considering all of the above and a campaign worthy of MVP consideration, the offers he had on the table last May came as no surprise. Half of the EuroLeague showed interest, while elite coaches such as Georgios Bartzokas and Sarunas Jasikevicius attempted to convince him to join their projects. In the end, Panathinaikos AKTOR and Ergin Ataman won the race, offering him a contract worth €2.5 million per year.
Shorts earned the payday he deserved after his remarkable rise with Paris and prepared himself for the most demanding challenge of his career: wearing the jersey of the seven-time European champions.
A few months ago, during an interview with EuroInsiders, the Turkish coach explained the reasoning behind the signing. Ataman believed Shorts would make his team faster, more unpredictable and better equipped to exploit mismatches, particularly during Mathias Lessort’s absence.
Reality, however, turned out to be very different.
In 43 EuroLeague appearances for the Greens, the 29-year-old averaged just 16 minutes per game, while his numbers dropped significantly to 8.1 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists. What went wrong? When a signing fails to unfold as expected, the explanation should always be multi-layered.
First and foremost, there was the way Ergin Ataman used him. The Turkish coach never managed to unlock the full package TJ Shorts brings to the table. In some games he appeared to overexpose him, while in others he played him alongside Kendrick Nunn and Kostas Sloukas without allowing him to control the ball. Taking the ball out of Shorts’ hands is essentially stripping away the very qualities that make him special.
At the same time, Panathinaikos AKTOR never operated in a way that protected him defensively. Paris, for example, with players such as Tyson Ward and Collin Malcolm, consistently ensured that Shorts would not be isolated against opposing scorers. Panathinaikos’ defensive structure was problematic throughout the season and, on many occasions, the American guard became a clear target for opposing coaching staffs.
In essence, the team’s overall functionality and coaching approach account for roughly 70 percent—perhaps even more—of what happened during his season at the T-Center. Of course, Shorts also bears responsibility for the occasions when he received opportunities and failed to deliver, such as the closing stretch of the home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, or for his shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ultimately became damaging: 29.2% in the EuroLeague on 249 three-point attempts.
The truth is that the relationship between Shorts and Panathinaikos never developed the way either side had envisioned. To be completely fair, however, nobody at the Telekom Center ever had a complaint regarding his attitude or character. Even when he was not playing, or when he felt he deserved a larger role, Shorts remained a consummate professional—first on the practice court and always ready to celebrate every positive play made by a teammate.
Still, the separation had long felt like a natural outcome.
That is why it happened smoothly, without public disputes, arguments over who was right or wrong, or unnecessary drama.
Valencia approached him and essentially offered him the opportunity to become the club’s new “anti-Montero,” the player who would complement the trio of Brancou Badio and Kameron Taylor while bringing Pedro Martinez’s philosophy to life on the floor of the Roig Arena. Logic suggests that the well-drilled Spanish side, a team that loves to attack within the first eight seconds of a possession, could be the ideal environment for Shorts to showcase both his talent and his potential.
The upcoming season, therefore, represents another chapter in a career built on answering questions. If there is one thing TJ Shorts has consistently done throughout his journey, it is perform under pressure and excel when doubts surround him.
Do not be surprised if he does exactly the same in orange during the 2026-27 season.
