By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The search for the MVP of the league does not necessarily have to take place with the top clubs. In the current season, however, there were early signs that the leaders of the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga would be the focus of this election. And indeed: The MVP of the season is TJ Shorts who comes from the Telekom Baskets Bonn.
The American, who came second in last year’s election, succeeds Parker Jackson-Cartwright, his predecessor in the Bonn jersey.
TJ Shorts followed the call of his former Crailsheim head coach Tuomas Iisalo last summer. The lively point guard leads the Telekom Baskets team and averages almost eight assists per game.
In addition, he is the top scorer in Bonn with around 18 points per game. His achievements are all the more remarkable when you consider the continuous double burden: he led his team to the Final Four of the Champions League. There, the Rhinelanders will play for an international title on the second weekend in May.
TJ Shorts II ist #MVP der #easyCreditBBL 22/23 👑
Der US-Amerikaner, der bei der Wahl im Vorjahr noch Zweiter war, tritt die Nachfolge von Parker Jackson-Cartwright an, seinem Vorgänger im Trikot der @TelekomBaskets.
⁰#mostvaluableplayer #welcometobonn #welcometowow @TjShorts5 pic.twitter.com/shLGtk2DqG— easyCredit BBL (@easyCreditBBL) May 4, 2023
TJ Shorts set several career records in the BBL this season: On Boxing Day he scored 38 points against SYNTAINICS MBC, shortly before that he collected eight rebounds against Bayern Munich. Another record followed against his ex-club HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim when he served 15 assists.
When the coaches, the sporting directors, the team captains, and selected media representatives voted, it became clear once again how much the easyCredit Basketball Bundesliga is sportingly dominated by the guards. TJ Shorts prevailed against DeWayne Russell (EWE Baskets Oldenburg) and Stanley Whittaker (Würzburg Baskets).