Belgrade, Serbia – Crvena Zvezda forward Chima Moneke has expressed doubts over whether TJ Shorts can find his place at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, following the guard’s underwhelming start to the EuroLeague season.
Shorts, who impressed during his rookie EuroLeague campaign with Paris Basketball, has struggled to make an impact so far, scoring just four points across his first two EuroLeague games and going scoreless in his debut for Panathinaikos. His slow start has been attributed to a severe viral infection that sidelined him for weeks, causing him to miss the team’s training camp entirely.
Moneke voiced his concerns on the Amerikanos24 Triple Threat Show, highlighting the challenges Shorts faces in an already star-studded Panathinaikos backcourt featuring Kendrick Nunn, Jerian Grant, Kostas Sloukas, and returning forward Cedi Osman.
“The reason I’m going to say the truth about TJ Shorts not fitting is that even Cedi Osman just came back and wasn’t starting. I’m scared the lineup to close out games will be Kendrick [Nunn], Jerian Grant, Cedi Osman, Juancho [Hernangomez], and Richaun Holmes,” Moneke said.
“That’s my opinion. I just don’t think a player who could’ve won MVP would go to any other team and, after the first game where he played 10 minutes as a starting point guard, not start in the second game,” he added.
Moneke also questioned the logic behind Panathinaikos’ roster construction, noting:
“He’s the starting point guard — he’s a point guard, not an off-the-ball player — and you guys knew that when you brought him in. Kendrick Nunn is amazing, but the thing that worried me personally — and this is just me — is that when TJ was on the court, Kendrick was the point guard.”
With expectations high following Shorts’ breakout season in Paris, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether he can adapt and thrive in Athens’ crowded backcourt.