EuroBasket Star Looks Back on Knicks Tenure

The New York Knicks were once home to one of EuroBasket's top players.

New York Knicks guard Shane Larkin moves toward the net as Philadelphia 76ers forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. | John Geliebter-Imagn Images

It's been over a decade since the New York Knicks acquired point guard Shane Larkin from the Dallas Mavericks.

While Larkin was viewed as a young guard on the rise, he only lasted one season with the Knicks, averaging 6.2 points while the team won 17 games. Larkin now plays for Anadolu Efes in Turkey and has even gained Turkish citizenship after playing in the country for the past seven years.

Larkin is shining during EuroBasket, helping Turkey reach the final against Germany. He spoke with HoopsHype reporter Cyro Asseo about his time with the Knicks 11 years ago.

"Obviously, I'm super excited to go play for the Knicks. Like, this is amazing. And then obviously Phil Jackson was there. They just hired Derek Fisher," Larkin said.

"And my agent was like, "Yeah, you got traded to the Knicks. And we were trying to keep you in Dallas, but the Knicks were adamant about putting you in this deal". So I was like, "Hey, you know, if they want me, then let's go."

New York Knicks guard Shane Larkin with the ball during the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls. | Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images

However, Larkin's fit with the Knicks never made sense. He wasn't the exact type of guard they needed, which ultimately led to his spiral in the NBA.

"Phil Jackson walks up to me, he's like, "What are you doing?" Working on stuff. He was like, "Yeah, we don't really do a lot of that, so you need to go work on your pass fakes." And I'm like, but I'm like a pick-and-roll guard. I didn't say this to him, obviously, 'cause greatest coach of all time, so I'm not gonna say anything as a 21-year-old kid," Larkin said.

"Like, "Yes, sir, I'll go do that." I don't think anybody on that team was into the triangle offense, which is why we won 17 games."

Larkin signed with the Brooklyn Nets the following summer, where he spent one season. In 2016, he played with Baskonia in Spain for a gap year before coming back to the NBA to play for the Boston Celtics. Since 2018, he has been with Efes, and it appears he has fully found a home overseas.

Now, he's looking for a EuroBasket championship against Germany.

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