Landry Shamet Drops Major Update On His Knicks Return

New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet revealed encouraging progress in his shoulder recovery, speaking publicly for the first time since his dislocation on November 22 and confirming he has cleared for basketball activities, but is awaiting clearance for contact before a potential return in January.

Speaking before the Knicks' 134-132 loss to San Antonio, Shamet compared his two shoulder injuries, the first occurring in October 2024 and the second nearly six weeks ago against Orlando.

The first dislocation felt like being shot, Shamet previously stated. When he got hit for the second time, "Not quite like getting shot in the arm, a few steps down," he said as per the NY Post, indicating this injury wasn't as catastrophic as his initial shoulder problem.

That distinction proved crucial in his decision to pursue aggressive rehabilitation instead of season-ending surgery, keeping alive hopes for a mid-season return.

Recovery Exceeding Expectations

The 28-year-old sharpshooter credited last year's successful non-surgical recovery for accelerating his current timeline and building confidence in the rehab process.

"You never really know. I had a lot of confidence in the rehab I did last year, and I was able to start doing things sooner in the rehab process than I kind of expected this time," Shamet explained.

"So, if anything, that kind of just reassured the importance of rehabbing right and taking care of things. That's really the biggest thing that gave me confidence."

Shamet is now shooting and participating in full-on-court basketball activities, but hasn't received clearance for contact, the final hurdle before returning to game action.

No Surgery Debate for Shamet

When asked about weighing the surgery option, Shamet made clear the decision was straightforward from the beginning.

"My intention was to rehab and get this thing right. And you make that decision, and there's not a gray area or back-and-forth considerations beyond whatever you decide to do," he stated. "So that was it, that's where we're at."

His first shoulder dislocation last season required approximately 10 weeks of recovery before returning to the court, putting him on track for a potentially faster timeline this time around.

Knicks Support Earns Shamet's Praise

With his non-guaranteed contract becoming fully guaranteed January 10, Shamet expressed gratitude for the organization's commitment to his recovery process.

"That's great to know. No complaints with the organization, they've been great. The support staff and everybody involved, they're committed, they've been great, and they've been working closely with me," Shamet said.

The Knicks must decide by January 7 whether to waive him or commit to keeping the defensive specialist for the playoff push.

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