Paris Basketball playmaker TJ Shorts rounded out a perfect season by earning the MVP honor at the 2024 EuroCup Finals, leading his team to its first-ever continental title.
Shorts was once again the best player on the floor during the EuroCup Finals, averaging 18.0 points, 4.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and a PIR of 24.0. He led Paris to a 2-0 sweep the best-of-three playoffs series against Mindicelice JL Bourg en Bresse.
By sweeping the series, Paris finished the 2023-24 season with the best-ever record in the competition, 22-1. Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar finished the 2014-15 EuroCup with a 19-1 record. Paris was also the first team to get 22 wins in a single EuroCup season. Dreamland Gran Canaria had the previous record with 21 victories, also in the 2014-15 campaign.
Shorts led Paris in Game 1 with game-highs of 15 points and 20 PIR. He added 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block and 7 fouls drawn. In Game 2, Shorts was equally unstoppable, pouring in 22 points to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists for a PIR of 28.
"It is amazing. I don't know, I'm at a loss for words," Shorts said after the game. "This has been a long journey, this is something we talked about at the beginning of the season. I'm just grateful and thankful to everybody that stepped out on the court that contributed to this win. From the coaching staff, the players, the people in the office that are greeting us every day. This is not only for us, this is for the city of Paris."
Shorts joins a notable list of EuroCup Finals MVPs
Shorts is the last name of a list of EuroCup Finals MVP full of stars. Dejan Tomasevic was the first-ever EuroCup Finals in 2003, helping Valencia Basket become the competition's original champion. Kelly McCarty of Hapoel Jerusalem received the award in 2004, followed by Robertas Javtokas of Rytas Vilnius (2005), Ruben Douglas of Dynamo Moscow (2006), Charles Smith of Real Madrid (2007), Rudy Fernandez of Joventut Badalona (2008), Marius Petravicius of Rytas (2009), Matt Nielsen of Valencia (2010), Marko Popovic of UNICS Kazan (2011), Zoran Planinic of Khimki Moscow Region (2012), Richard Hendrix of Lokomotiv (2013), Justin Doellman of Valencia (2014), Tyrese Rice of Khimki (2015), Stephane Lasme of Galatasaray Istanbul (2016), Alberto Diaz of Unicaja Malaga (2017), Scottie Wilbekin of Darussafaka Istanbul (2018), Will Thomas of Valencia (2019), Rob Gray of AS Monaco (2021), Milos Teodosic of Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2022) and John Shurna of Gran Canaria (2023).
Timothy Neocartes Shorts II (1.75 meters, 26 years old) was born in Irvine, California, and started his professional basketball career with Latvian side Ventspils. He continued his career in Germany, playing for Hamburg Towers, Crailsheim Merlins and Telekom Baskets Bonn, where he had a breakout 2022-23 season. Shorts earned German League MVP, FIBA Basketball Champions League MVP and BCL Finals MVP honors, leading Bonn to the BCL title and reaching the German League finals, losing against ratiopharm Ulm.
Shorts joined Paris Basketball to make EuroCup history in golden letters. He became the first player to earn EuroCup Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals and Season MVP. Shorts was earned MVP of the Round honors three times during the regular season. He led the EuroCup in PIR average (23.4), assists (7.3) and two-point shots made (134), ranking second in scoring with 18.0 points per game. Earlier this season. Shorts led Paris to the French Leaders Cup title, earning MVP honors.
Next stop for Shorts and Paris? The 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague!
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