By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Telekom Baskets Bonn was the launching pad for TJ Shorts’ rise to stardom in European basketball and so far, Darius McGhee is following in his footsteps.
The sample is relatively small, however after three rounds in the Basketball Champions League, Darius McGhee is only the second player with 20+ points and 5+ assists in his first three games in the competition after TJ Shorts in the 2022-23 season.
Shorts had this stellar start also playing for Bonn, ultimately leading the team to the BCL title and there are more similarities between them.
They both are small, with 1.75m. of height, proving that being tall is not everything in basketball and despite being short, they are forces to be reckoned with.
Destined to shine
However, while both players were undrafted, McGhee had already shined at the NCAA level.
Playing for Liberty between 2018 and 2023, having an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID pandemic, McGhee ended his last season in college with 162 three-pointers, tying Stephen Curry’s NCAA single-season record set in 2008.
Contrary to Shorts, who had played in Ventspils (2019-20), Hamburg (2020-21), and Crailsheim (2021-22) before signing with Bonn, McGhee doesn’t have any European experience, playing only one season as a pro in the G League after moving to Bonn.
Still, it was obvious that he was a unique player during the recent qualification round in Antalya. Especially in the semifinal against Andorra from the Spanish ACB, McGhee demonstrated his scoring ability beyond any doubt, scoring 37 points in a 99-91 win.
It was the first time this season that Bonn’s guard managed to turn heads and it certainly not going to be the last.