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Shane Larkin recently achieved a significant career milestone by aiding Turkiye in securing the silver medal at EuroBasket 2025. Looking back to 2013, he was a highly regarded talent emerging from Miami, having been chosen as the 18th overall pick in the NBA Draft. However, his journey was quickly derailed by an ankle injury sustained during a practice session with the Dallas Mavericks.
Reflecting on his past in a recent interview with HoopsHype, he advised his younger self, “Have more fun. When I was drafted, I applied tremendous pressure on myself to succeed, which took away the enjoyment from the game. Being selected 18th overall by a franchise like Dallas, known for its winning culture, added to the urgency. Just a week after being drafted, I fractured my ankle, which meant spending the first several months of the season watching from the sidelines. I was eager for my chance, and when it arrived, we were battling for playoff contention. Instead of approaching it as an exciting rookie opportunity, I fixated on not making mistakes, which inhibited my natural playing style and the joy I had once felt for basketball.”
Larkin vividly recalled the moment of his injury, emphasizing its significance: “I remember everything about that possession. We were in Dallas, preparing for Summer League, and had a morning practice that Mark Cuban was attending—his first since drafting me. I was in a one-on-one break, planning to make an impressive dunk. As I took off, I slipped and my foot turned in, resulting in a painful fracture. I heard the crack and collapsed, thinking, ‘No way, did that really just happen?’ Though I tried to be tough, I felt pain and gingerly walked off the court. After using the game-ready machine, my ankle swelled up, and I was told by the team’s athletic trainer, ‘You’re probably not going to Vegas.’”
The Cincinnati native elaborated on his journey to the NBA and the decision to pursue opportunities abroad. “I reached my dream of being drafted at 20, but after my injury, I faced the choice of fighting for a non-guaranteed spot in the NBA or opting to play overseas for solid minutes. I didn’t want to be the third string waiting for injuries to others. I believed I deserved my opportunities through my performance, not through someone else’s misfortune.”
Larkin further discussed what it means to gain recognition in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. “You truly have to experience it to grasp it fully. While I’m not equating myself with NBA stars, the kind of reverence that players like Kyrie Irving received in Cleveland mirrors what Kendrick Nunn is experiencing in Athens, and what I experience in Istanbul, where players like Mike James are treated in Monaco. Superstar athletes enjoy a lifestyle in these cities that one can only comprehend once they witness it firsthand.”
In 2021 and 2022, Larkin claimed EuroLeague titles with Efes and earned a spot on the All-25 EuroLeague Team. His career includes 247 games in Europe’s leading club competition, along with 267 games played in the NBA with teams like the Mavericks, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.
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