By Giannis Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Facing a former team is always a special occasion, but for T.J. Shorts, suiting up for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens against Paris Basketball at Accor Arena on Tuesday evening especially stands out.
Proudly packing a career full of accomplishments, the 28-year-old point guard signed a two-year contract with the Greens in June. His addition promised scary backcourt depth for Coach Ergin Ataman. However, early into the 2025-26 season, Shorts has been struggling to meet expectations, as confirmed by the 59-year-old Turkish play-caller.
“We cannot change our winning system, which gave this club a EuroLeague title, a Greek League title, a Greek Cup title, and two Final Fours in the last two years. So, T.J. Shorts must adapt, understand our system. Of course, we try to understand him. When he is on the court, we try to play his basketball, but I answered very honestly in Belgrade,” said Ataman at the postgame press conference following a victory in the Greek League on Saturday, referring to previously admitting to being 90% disappointed in the showings of his player after Round 9’s EuroLeague road loss at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.
“If you ask me if I am satisfied, the answer is no,” he continued. “For sure, he is a great player, and we will find some solutions. The problem is that there are too many talks about him. Some players are talking. Some managers are talking. Some guys who left basketball, I don’t know where they are, from the United States, and they are talking. Everybody is talking. The players must talk on the court about their performances.”
Paris versus Athens
A look at his individual EuroLeague stats shows how large the gap is between his play with Paris and Panathinaikos.
| Last season | This season | |
| Points | 19.0 | 6.1 |
| 2PT% | 52 | 46.2 |
| 3PT% | 36.1 | 20 |
| Assists | 7.3 | 2.7 |
| Rebounds | 2.6 | 0.8 |
| Steals | 1.0 | 0.3 |
| Blocks | 0.1 | 0 |
Entering the EuroLeague last season as the EuroCup MVP and EuroCup Finals MVP in Paris’s 2023-24 title run, Shorts found his footing quickly and eventually was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.
Few expected him to deliver on that scale despite his past accolades, which included several more championships and MVPs, including the Basketball Champions League triumph with Telekom Baskets Bonn in 2023. Nevertheless, Shorts was all over the place with his energy in an intense and fast-paced offense and defense.
The move from the French to the Greek capital was expected by many to be much different. Pundits suggested that adjusted playing time and a lack of a leading role could be devastating. And for once, they have been proven right, at least for the early stages of the new season.
That said, Shorts has made a career out of proving doubters wrong. From Saddleback College to huge NCAA seasons with UC Davis, to continental and domestic championships in Europe, the ongoing challenge is naturally the toughest to date.
And what better venue to get back on track than taking on his former team in Round 10 in his former home?