Shawn James Returns: “Feels great to be back.”

By Amy Samin

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv’s center, Shawn James – who was named to the All Euroleague Second Team at the end of last season – has returned to Israel and is eager to begin his third season with Maccabi, saying “It feels great to be back.” When asked if he thought he would be named team captain this season, James replied, “They haven’t talked to me about that, but who wouldn’t want to be Maccabi’s captain?” James also talked about the return of center Sofo Schortsanitis: “Sofo’s going to be a big help, especially with team morale. He’s a great talent, and it doesn’t really matter which one of us is in the starting five.”

“I don’t feel a big weight on me because I’m a key player on the team. I’m a defensive player, and I’m the one who puts pressure on myself in those situations. We have a really top level team; if we stay healthy and with the depth we’ve added this season, it seems like we can go farther in Europe than we did last year.”