By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The reigning Final Four and season MVP of the Basketball Champions League, T.J. Shorts II followed on the path from Telekom Baskets Bonn to Paris and BKT EuroCup.
Shorts, 25, confirmed recent rumors and switched from the BCL champions to the team based in the capital of France, similar to Sebastian Herrera, Michael Kessens, Leon Kratzer, Collin Malcolm, Tyson Ward, and head coach Tuomas Iisalo earlier in the offseason. Other players on the squad stretch to Gauthier Denis, Mohamed Diawara, Nadir Hifi, Mikael Jantunen, Jean Noba, Enzo Shahrvin, Dustin Sleva, and Axel Toupane.
Besides being named season and Final Four MVP of the Champions League, the explosive point guard was also the most valuable player of Germany’s easyCredit BBL in a brilliant 2022-23 campaign. In 2021-22, he emerged as the top scorer of Germany’s top-flight division as a member of Crailsheim Merlins. Earlier stops of his professional career were Hamburg Towers and Ventspils, since coming out of UC Davis in 2019.
Dakota Mathias joins Germany champions Ulm
Three-point sniper, Dakota Mathias surfaced as the latest signing for ratiopharm Ulm. The 28-year-old shooting guard is a veteran of 14 NBA games between the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers. The lone European experience is attached to a brief spell at Lenovo Tenerife to conclude the 2022-23 season. Georginho De Paula, Noa Essengue, L.J. Figueroa, and Trevion Williams will be among his new teammates at the reigning easyCredit BBL champions.
The defending EuroCup champions Dreamland Gran Canaria reconstructed the contract of 21-year-old Jovan Kljajic with the deal lasting through the 2024-25 season. The Montenegrin guard will stay on the senior team alongside confirmed members of the squad, Andrew Albicy, Ferran Bassas, Nicolas Brussino, Ethan Happ, Ben Lammers, David Mutaf, Pierre Pelos, Miquel Salvo, John Shurna, and A.J. Slaughter for head coach Jaka Lakovic.
Nice additions for the Wolves and Aris
Incoming to BC Wolves is Tre’Shawn Thurman. The 27-year-old forward inked a deal lasting through the next season and topped with an option for an additional season. The team based in Vilnius added next to Arnas Berucka, Adas Juskevicius, Vitalijus Kozys, Christian Mekowulu, Regimantas Miniotas, Jeffery Taylor, Kristupas Zemaitis, and Eigirdas Zukauskas.
A rookie coming out of Butler, Manny Bates joined Aris for the 2023-24 season. Roberts Blumbergs, Silvio De Sousa, Dimitris Katsivelis, Nikos Persidis, Ismael Sanogo, Diamantis Slaftsakis, and Vassilis Toliopoulos were already in for head coach Giannis Kastritis.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League