Dijon wants to play another spoiler role against Paris
May 27, 2025
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve
T.J. Shorts wants to end on a high note with Paris: « Everyone wants to beat us »
Betclic ELITE - Before leaving Paris Basketball, T.J. Shorts hopes to give one last title to his club. Two-time league MVP, the American point guard starts the Betclic ELITE playoffs this Tuesday against Dijon with unwavering ambition.
Photo Credit : Guillaume Poumarede
League leader in regular season for the first time in its history, Paris Basketball starts its playoff campaign this Tuesday evening (9pm) against JDA Dijon at the Adidas Arena. Named Betclic ELITE MVP for the second consecutive year, T.J. Shorts (1.75m, 27 years) is preparing to play his final games in Parisian colors. Before a likely move abroad, he shows unwavering determination to conquer the only national trophy missing from Paris’s cabinet.
« Winning the championship would be the perfect ending »
Having had an exceptional journey since arriving in France, T.J. Shorts knows his days in Paris are numbered. Strongly linked to Panathinaikos for two seasons and 5 million euros, the American-Macedonian prefers to stay focused on the present: « I’m focusing on one thing at a time. Right now, that’s winning the French Championship. »
Last season, Paris fell in the playoff finals. A disappointment the point guard hasn’t forgotten. « We didn’t have the right mindset. This time, we’re warned, » he confides to Le Parisien. His experience and charisma will be essential in leading his team to the title, after already lifting the Leaders Cup in 2024 and the French Cup in late April.
Two-time MVP, driving force of a conquering team
Named Betclic ELITE MVP for the second straight season, Shorts remains humble: « Being MVP two years in a row is no small feat. I’m very grateful to those who voted for me, my teammates, my coaches… » Charismatic both on court and in the locker room, he brings energy that transcends the Parisian collective: « I’m the leader, I have to lead by example. »
With his spectacular style and intensity, the Californian has made his mark in France and beyond. Despite his small stature for a professional basketball player, he has succeeded in all competitions he’s played in, from FIBA Europe Cup to EuroLeague, often earning individual accolades (including MVP in BCL and EuroCup).
A last dance for him, Splitter and others?
With rumors suggesting the upcoming departures of coach Tiago Splitter, Nadir Hifi, or Tyson Ward, these playoffs feel like a « Last Dance » for this golden generation of Paris Basketball. « I don’t know if we can call it a last dance. These are rumors. All we can do is focus on the next game, » Shorts dismisses.
But the desire to end the story beautifully is clearly present: « If this is the end, you want it to be the best possible ending. » That means winning these playoffs. And possibly a decisive game next Saturday, the same day as the Champions League final between Inter Milan and PSG, which the point guard ardently supports: « They’re going to win the Champions League. »
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