Adelaide 36ers import Shannon Shorter says he plays for his God, his family and his team

JUST AS Shannon Shorter steps up to the free throw line for Adelaide he taps his tattooed right shoulder, points to the sky and thinks of why he’s playing basketball in the first place.

Shannon Shorter is averaging 14.8 points and 5.6 assists in his first six games with the Adelaide 36ers this season. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

JUST AS Shannon Shorter steps up to the free throw line for Adelaide he taps his tattooed right shoulder, points to the sky and thinks of why he’s playing basketball in the first place.

He thinks of his God, of his family members who have died and those who are awake at 4am back home in the US watching the game on a live stream.

In particular he thinks of his mum who raised him in Houston and reassured him when he was a boy and the family didn’t know how they would pay their next bill or put food on the table that night, that everything would be all right.

And now it is. Shorter is living his dream of playing professional basketball and the journey has brought him to Adelaide where he is starring for the 36ers in the NBL.

“At the end of the day I am playing for the name on my back, the name on the front of my jersey, just honouring my family and honouring God,” Shorter told The Advertiser this week.

“I tap my tattoo because it says ‘my destiny is in God’s hands’ and my family members who have passed away, my uncle, my grandma, two aunts, I just want to let them know that I’m acknowledging them for what I’m doing and I’m always honouring God the way I play.

“I have a silent confidence and don’t really say much (off the court) but I’m competitive as can be and I do talk a lot on the court with a little fire inside of me.”

After playing in Mexico, Turkey, China, Japan and Israel, Shorter has found a sense of belonging in Adelaide where coach Joey Wright’s motto is “family first”.

It’s why Wright not only allowed but encouraged Shorter to fly back to the US after the death of his aunt last month and miss a home game against Melbourne.

Shorter says he and coach Joey Wright talk before and after every game and have forged a close relationship. Picture: David Rowland (AAP).

“I love Joey to death, we talk before and after every game, we talk a lot, and he’s a really great coach,” Shorter said.

“He’s just been more so of a mentor to me and really helped me out when my aunt passed, allowing me to go home and spend that time with my family was big for me and shows me what sort of a man he is as far as his character.

“He realises obviously there are bigger things than basketball and I respect him so much more.

“We are a very close-knit team, we enjoy each other’s company on the road, we have many group chats and everybody wants to see each other be successful and we are each other’s biggest fans on the court.”

Shorter says his strong family ties were forged while growing up in a tough part of Houston and his mum is his hero.

“Me and my family we don’t really come from privilege I guess you would say. We went through a lot and so to be able to do what I’m doing now, I know it brings them a lot of joy,” he said.

“I’m from Houston, Texas, and not the best part of town, you got a lot of things that can distract you (like) drug paraphernalia, prostitutes, the gangs, a lot of things that can get you off course.

“But I was raised by my mum and she kept my mind straight on what I need to accomplish as far as school and who I surround myself with.

“She’s been a strong woman in my life, a lot of times we didn’t know how our bills were going to be paid or what we were going to eat that night but she never made an excuse.

“She did a lot for my family and when I was down and out she kept telling me ‘baby you gonna be a’ight, you gonna find a way’.”

Shannon Shorter says his family gets up at 3 and 4am in the US to watch a live stream of his games with the 36ers. Picture: David Rowland (AAP).

One of the first things Shorter did when he arrived in Australia was create an online NBL account so his family can watch him playing from the other side of the world.

“I sent them the little Australian basketball league app, I made an account and they be up at 3, 4am watching the games so that’s really big for me because obviously my family can’t come overseas much,” he said.

“But I do have some family members coming here for Christmas and they’ll be able to catch a couple of games so I’m excited about that.

“They’re a big reason why I do what I do, they inspire me and motivate me.”

The 28-year-old has played six games with Adelaide in his debut season, and is averaging 14.8 points and a league-high 5.6 assists ahead of Saturday night’s clash against Melbourne United.

Having taken the long and winding road to get to Adelaide Shorter is now making the most of it.

“It’s crazy because this is my sixth year pro but it took me a year-and-a-half before I got my first pro opportunity,” Shorter said.

“I started in Mexico five years ago, went all over South America and to the European league and ended up in Israel.

“Then I got my big break in Japan and from there I went to China, then to Turkey which is a top 2-3 league in the world.

“So Joey reached out to my agent — they knew each other beforehand — he watched a few films and obviously done his homework and it went from there.”

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