The EuroCup leader in scoring and assists speaks about his team, their season and this week's clash against the London Lions.
T.J. Shorts, Paris: 'We feel like nobody can stop us'
Interviews
11 Mins read
Paris Basketball stands out in the BKT EuroCup for many reasons. The club from the French capital has the best record in the competition (11-1), was the first to clinch a spot in the playoffs and leads the league in scoring (99.5 ppg.) at a record pace. Point guard T.J. Shorts has been the team leader despite playing in the EuroCup for the first time. He is the competition's top scorer (18.1 ppg.) and assists leader (7.4 apg.). After earning MVP of the Round honors last week for the third time this season, Shorts spoke to Javier Gancedo about his and his team's outstanding season and their goals. "I think at this point in the season, everyone is trusting in the system and when we're doing that and we're at our best, I think this is the result," Shorts said of the team's recent form. "At the end of the season, we want to just do whatever we can to put ourselves in a position to win a championship."
We've gotta talk about the win against Hamburg. It was the eighth time this season that Paris has scored 100 or more points in a EuroCup game. What is the key to being so effective and playing such a fun-to-watch game?
"I think our success on offense is coming from the trust in our coaches and the trust in each other in that locker room. We got together in August and we've been working very hard up until this point. I think Coach T.I. has been very clear about our roles and what he wants and the way he wants us to play with the tempo and what shots to look for, where to attack, stuff like that. I think at this point in the season, everyone is trusting in the system and when we're doing that and we're at our best, I think this is the result. It's obviously high-paced games, high-paced tempo. This is just the result and hopefully, we can continue to keep this rolling for the remainder of the season."
"Every single guy in that locker room, there's not one selfish guy. We're all rooting for each other."
It's a record-breaking pace. If you go like this, you're going to break all the scoring records in the competition. It must be a lot of fun.
"When we put in so much work and then you see the results during the game, you can't be anything but happy for each other out there on the court and that's basically how it feels. We're going to war for each other. Every single guy in that locker room, there's not one selfish guy. We're all rooting for each other. Our coach encourages us to take open shots, so we're never turning down open looks. We know that with the way we play, everyone's going to have their opportunity to get their looks and get their feel on offense. Right now it's a lot of fun. We're just hoping to, like I said, continue to keep this thing rolling and continue to play for each other because when we're doing that and we're at our best, we feel like nobody can stop us."
This summer, Paris did something that I think is unprecedented, which is they brought the coach and six players from a different team. How important has this move been in the run that you're having right now?
"I think it's been super important with bringing six guys from another team. That's almost like bringing a core of the group and if you look at some of the great teams in Europe, most of the time the core stays together. For us to be able to keep our core together and then on top of that add a lot of incredible new pieces and some young guys, some older guys that have been around, I think that's huge. I think we've found a way to find the balance of having all those old guys from the previous team and then blending them with the new guys. It's been great for us so far and I think it's been a huge factor in why we've been so successful this early."
What are your thoughts on the EuroCup as a competition?
"It's super challenging. I think first of all the main thing that makes it so tough is just the amount of games that you have to play. EuroCup, I mean you're playing early in the week and then on top of that you combine that with your local league so it's a lot of games that are being played. Obviously, there's 10 teams in each group so there's a total of 18 extra games on top of your local league that you have to play in such a short amount of time. So it makes it very difficult and then obviously with the travel schedule that just adds another aspect to it. The physicality level, the speed of play, the quality, everything I feel like is raised. But it's nothing that I guess I'm surprised by. I was kind of expecting it so this is kind of what I envisioned coming to the EuroCup."
Looking at your numbers compared to last season, you have more assists and you have half the turnovers. Is this something that you worked on in the summer or is this something that the system is helping, knowing that you played for the same coach last year?
"I think this is a combination. Putting in work in the summer, making better decisions just being on the court, but also being in the same system for another year. Knowing what my coach wants me to do, knowing where he wants me to attack. I just kind of have a better understanding of the offense, so I feel like I know kind of where, like last year, I was maybe struggling a bit in terms of creating offense. So this year, just being in the same system, having a better understanding, I think all that just helps with cutting down those turnovers and not making, I guess, silly plays."
Well, I wanted to ask about Coach Iisalo, who is also new to the competition. What's the best thing about him, now that you've played for him for two years?
"I think the biggest thing with him is the way he's able to bring the maximum out of every player. He really stresses a lot about practicing hard and he always says to us, he wants the practices to be harder than the games. So when we're in practice, there's a lot of moments where he's kind of testing players. He's poking the bear. He's really trying to get you into an uncomfortable position so that when we go into the game, nothing phases us. And I think the way we practice translates directly to our games because when we practice as hard as we do, obviously with what you can do because we play so many games, but when we practice and we have the time to practice, it directly translates to what we do in the game. And we've basically seen everything. We've seen a bad call. We've seen maybe somebody getting yelled at. So when it comes to the game, it just almost feels like it's effortless and we could just play together and have none of those struggles that we might have seen already in practice."
Coaches Iisalo is only 41 years old, which is young for a coach. Do you think that, as a point guard, a young coach helps in terms of understanding you a little bit better than an older one?
"Yeah, possibly. I mean, with a younger coach, obviously, they can maybe relate a little bit more because we're a bit closer in age. But even with him being younger, I think he's got a lot of knowledge. He looks at a lot of different things, a lot of basketball things, a lot of non-basketball things to kind of help him grow as a coach. And he's always looking for ways to grow, but it definitely helps with him being younger because I almost feel like I can relate because maybe not so long ago, he was also playing. So he can use that and kind of teach us with it. So, yeah, I think it's just a mix of his wisdom that he's gaining from maybe older coaches or wherever else he gets his information from. And then also his younger style and the new generation of where basketball is headed to with this, I guess, fast tempo kind of playing free style of basketball."
You and Nadir Hifi have scored in double digits in every game this season. How fun is it to play with him and what's the best thing about him as a player?
"Nadir is a special talent. I kind of see myself a bit in him in terms of just the way he's kind of able to score at will. And I think the best thing about him is that he's always trying to learn. This guy is always asking questions like, 'Hey, what do you see when you're attacking here?' Or he's asking Coach questions. He's getting breakdowns in film with our assistant coaches. Even sometimes when we have film as a team, he's getting grilled. But right when we walk out of the film session, he's right back at it. And he's trying to learn more again. But playing with him, it just makes it kind of easy for me because I know there's another threat on the court that the teams have to respect. So I know when he's out there with me, it's going to help me be successful on the basketball court. So he's a guy that I have a lot of fun playing with right now. Even with him being so young, he's very mature in terms of how he plays basketball and how he's able to score the ball and make the team better. I'm happy he's on my team and I'm glad to help him continue to grow. It's only going to be up for him as he continues to get older."
"I'm happy Nadir's on my team and I'm glad to help him continue to grow. It's only going to be up for him."
Is there a little bit of rivalry between you and this week's opponent, the London Lions?
"First of all, it's going to be definitely a huge game. Obviously, when you look at the standings, us, London Lions, Hapoel, we're all right there and we're super close trying to compete for that one seed. And obviously, everybody wants that first-round bye. It's going to be a huge game. We know the first time we played them, it was an incredible game. Double overtime, a crazy game. But yeah, there's, I think you could definitely say there's a little rivalry building there, whether within the cities, within the clubs. There's something there. It always feels like, and I only played them one time. But you see the previous years, there's always like a little extra to the game, like, I don't know, a little pride on the line. Maybe you're fighting for your city because there are two beautiful cities that are going to war. So we'll be ready when that game comes. But yeah, it's been, I guess, incredible up until this point between the two."
How much of a goal is it to win the EuroCup and take Paris to the EuroLeague for the first time?
"I think that's the biggest goal for the club this season. For what they've been able to do for such a young club being established in, I believe, 2018 and taking the steps to get to where they are now and having a realistic goal of winning the EuroCup, I think it's something that every guy, every coach wants to accomplish this year. Obviously, we understand that that's a ways away and we're going to have to just take it one game at a time, one step at a time, one week at a time. But at the end of the season, we want to just do whatever we can to put ourselves in a position to win a championship. And then we'll go out there, roll the dice and see what happens. And hopefully we can take that next jump and get to the best league in all of Europe. Let's hope."