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Shane Larkin recently achieved a significant 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, picked as the 18th overall selection in the draft, but unfortunately faced a setback due to an ankle injury during a practice session with the Dallas Mavericks.
In a recent interview with HoopsHype, he reflected on his journey, advising his younger self, “I would encourage myself to enjoy the game more.” He elaborated, “Once I got drafted, I placed immense pressure on myself to succeed, which ultimately took away some of the joy I found in playing. Being drafted 18th by a winning franchise like Dallas put me in a win-at-all-costs mentality. Just a week after my draft, I suffered a broken ankle. For the first four or five months of the season, I was merely a spectator, fully aware that an opportunity would come my way. When that moment arrived, our team was competing closely for a playoff spot. Instead of approaching it as a rookie looking to embrace the experience and play aggressively, I was caught up in worrying about making mistakes. I felt the need to prove myself and avoid any errors.”
Reflecting on that injury, he said, “I can recall the exact moment it happened. It was during a practice in Dallas just before we were set to head to Summer League, and I believe it was the first practice attended by Mark Cuban, who had just invested a first-round draft pick in me.”
Describing the incident, he stated, “I was in a one-on-one situation with a big guy right behind me. I thought, ‘I’m about to throw down this dunk.’ As I went to take off, I lost my footing slightly and my ankle twisted, leading to that ominous crack. I just collapsed to the floor, stunned, thinking, ‘No way, this can’t be happening.’ Trying to maintain my composure, I lay there for a moment, and though I felt some pain, I managed to get up and walked off—albeit very carefully. After I treated it with the game-ready machine, it was clear something was wrong. Our team was scheduled to travel to Vegas later that day, and after the assessment by our athletic trainer, Casey, it was clear I wouldn’t be making that trip.”
The Cincinnati native elaborated on his path to the NBA and his decision to pursue opportunities abroad. “At just 20, I was thrilled to be drafted 18th overall, only to break my ankle shortly after. I had a series of minor stints before weighing the option of a non-guaranteed NBA deal against a chance to play regularly overseas. Thankfully, I maintained an open mindset and didn’t want to rely on a third-string role waiting for someone to get injured. That felt wrong to me; I wanted to earn my chance purely based on my performance, not someone else’s misfortune.”
Discussing his rise in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, he remarked, “You really have to live the experience to grasp its depth. While I’m not placing myself alongside any NBA superstars, I imagine the treatment Kyrie Irving received in Cleveland mirrors what Kendrick Nunn experiences in Athens or my own situation in Istanbul, just as Mike James is treated in Monaco. These elite players enjoy lifestyles in these cities that can only truly be understood from firsthand experience.”
In 2021 and 2022, Larkin led Efes to EuroLeague championships and earned a spot on the All-25 EuroLeague Team. He has amassed 247 appearances in Europe’s top club competition, along with 267 games in the NBA with the Mavericks, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.
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