Shane Larkin dished out six assists to go along with six points and one steal in 20 minutes vs. the Hornets on Wednesday.

He had a career-high-tying eight dimes on opening night but has been quiet ever since, and we're not reading into tonight's solid performance. He's not worth owning while averaging 15-18 minutes behind Jarrett Jack.



(rotoworld.com)

Larkin scored 14 points and hit four shots from downtown over 14 minutes in Tuesday's 90-88 win against the Hawks.

Larkin set a career high with the four treys and was pretty much the only contributor off the Nets' bench, scoring all but two of its points. The former Miami Hurricane may be worth adding to your watch list in deeper formats.



(cbssports.com)

Shane Larkin tied his career-high with eight assists vs. the Bulls on Wednesday, adding six points, three steals and one block while starting in place of Jarrett Jack (hamstring).

He logged 23 minutes and will draw another start if Jack isn't ready to go for Friday's game in San Antonio. Larkin isn't much of a scoring threat, limiting him to a handful of assists and steals with solid FT percentages, which aren't likely to aid owners in 12-team leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

Larkin would start at point guard in Wednesday's season opener if Jarrett Jack (hamstring) is unable to play, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com reports.

Larkin averaged over 20 minutes per game during the preseason, so he should be able to handle an expanded role Wednesday if Jack is unable to suit up. Larkin started 22 games last season for the Knicks but averaged just 6.4 points and 4.0 assists over 30.7 minutes per game in those contests.


(cbssports.com)

Shane Larkin’s rookie year in the NBA never got off the ground. He suffered a broken ankle during summer league workouts after being taken with the No. 18 pick in the 2013 draft by the Mavericks. He spent his second season with the Knicks as a 5-foot-11 pick-and-roll point guard playing in the triangle offense — one that is better with bigger point guards, and in which the pick-and-roll plays only a bit part.

Now, as Larkin enters his third season, he’s excited about how his game can progress with the Nets, who have told him they want him to do what made him a first-round pick out of Miami: Use his speed to push the tempo, and run one pick-and-roll after another.

“That’s not the only reason I got here, but that’s a big part of why I got drafted where I got drafted, and why I’m in the league,” Larkin said after Friday’s practice at the Nets’ New Jersey facility before the team’s third preseason game Saturday afternoon in Albany against the 76ers. “Last year, I obviously wasn’t in the best system for my style of game, but this year I’ve been implemented back into a pick-and-roll [offense], so it’s really good.”

Larkin showed some flashes of what the Nets hope he can provide this season in Thursday’s 93-83 preseason win over the Pistons in Detroit, in which Larkin finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes while starting in place of Jarrett Jack, who was given the night off.

It didn’t take long for Larkin to show signs of life, and he had success running the pick-and-roll with Brook Lopez. Both Lopez and Thaddeus Young have the ability to not only roll to the rim, but also to pop out to the 3-point line and knock down open shots.

That gives Larkin plenty of options whenever he’s coming around that screen and surveying the court.

“It helps a lot, just knowing that if I come off, if I’m not comfortable with the shot I’ve got, I can just shoot a pass right to Brook and he’s got his floater from 15 feet,” Larkin said.

“So it really helps with your confidence knowing that you’re going to make the right play.”

Larkin has speed to spare, and at times looks as if he’s going faster than he can control. But speed and athleticism are weapons the Nets haven’t had in the past, and ones they specifically targeted this summer. He was one of their first calls — along with another athletic freak, Thomas Robinson — just after midnight on July 1, and the team is high on his potential to bounce back after an uneven start to his career.

If he’s going to do so, though, he’s going to need to rediscover the shooting stroke he had at Miami, where he shot 47.9 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line — numbers he hasn’t come close to replicating in his NBA career.

Larkin pointed to outside circumstances as the reason why — the ankle injury as a rookie causing him to fall behind in his development, then his unfamiliarity with the triangle last season. But he knows he has to improve this season, and has set goals for where he wants to be.

“I just want to be better,” he said. “I shot 31 percent from 3 last year. … I want to get that up to 35-36 [percent], maybe better. From the field, I want to be 45, 46 [percent].

“Those are things I’m working on, and I feel like everything is progressing well and going to get better.”

If they can, taking a gamble on Larkin this summer could prove to be a wise investment for the Nets.


(nypost.com)

Shane Larkin stepped up in a start against the Pistons on Thursday, scoring 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and two 3-pointers in 27 minutes.

Jarrett Jack didn't play to give Larkin some heavy burn. He was in the news this offseason because Phil Jackson took some shots at Larkin, but the former Knick and Mav got it going. He should be ahead of Ryan Boatright for the backup point guard minutes. Boatright had no points in 11 minutes.


(rotoworld.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Knicks president Phil Jackson criticized former players Shane Larkin and Andrea Bargnani in an ESPN.com series chronicling Jackson's first season as Knicks president.

On Monday, both players, now with the Brooklyn Nets, responded.

Larkin, about whom Jackson said had “tiny hands," said: “I was going to palm a ball and put it on Instagram for him, but I felt like that wasn’t the right move. I never met a man so concerned with another man’s hands, but it’s all good. I don’t have [anything] but love for Phil Jackson and the whole organization. They’re good, but I’m a Brooklyn Net, and that’s all I want to talk about.”

Bargnani, whom Jackson called a "big tease," said: “I’m gonna say the answer I said a few weeks ago when I was with the [Italian] national team: Right now I’m focused on the Nets training camp. I don’t want this to be a distraction. I want to focus on what’s next for me, not what’s in the past. Last year was a hard season because of the record, we all know the record and for me personally I had many injuries. It was very frustrating because there wasn’t an outlet for me when I was injured.”

The two former Knicks each signed a two-year deal with the Nets this past offseason.

“He's old school," Larkin said of Jackson. "He's blatant about what he says, and he knows what he wants, and obviously he has the jewelry to say what he's got to say. So he's proven that he's a great leader, and if that's what he feels about me, that's what he feels about me. I'm not on his team [any] more, so he [doesn’t] have to worry about it.

Bargnani had said he would respond to the criticism, but declined to on Monday.

“I don’t like to talk about other people in the media,” he said. “I’m focused on the training camp and the Nets. I can talk about myself as a player and about how much I love basketball, how it’s my passion, it’s my life. I can talk about my work ethic and what I do. So, that’s it."

Both Larkin and Bargnani are looking forward to fresh starts with the Nets. Larkin is hoping to thrive in their pick-and-roll offense the way he did in college at Miami. Over the past four seasons, Bargnani has missed 175 games because of injury.


(espn.com)

In picking on Larkin, Jackson showed he's not afraid to critique small guys as well as big guys.

Larkin, who reached a two-year, $3 million agreement with the Nets that also includes a $1.5 million player option for the 2016-17 season - admittedly struggled in the triangle last season.

But nowhere has it been mentioned that his hands were a source of the problem.

"His play did improve, but he's still a long shot to be back with us,” Jackson told Rosen. “He's incredibly quick but he doesn't use his speed the way he should. Shane mainly wants to get his shot off a high screen-roll situation when he should be pushing the ball and getting his shots in an open floor. Another problem is that he can't control the ball because he has such tiny hands. For sure, every team needs a small, quick guard, but there are a lot of guys like that available."


(nydailynews.com)

Shane Larkin took the high road in response to criticism by Phil Jackson that he failed to grow last season with the Knicks.

And the Zen Master wasn't talking about Larkin's 5-11 stature.

In a story written by good buddy Charley Rosen as part of his ESPN.com series on Monday, Jackson continued to dish on his former players, saying of Larkin back in February: "Unfortunately, Shane hasn't grown since the start of the season."

Larkin made no secret he wasn't a good fit for the triangle, saying as much in a tweet in response to Jackson's comments on Monday.

"Couldn't grow in an offense I wasn't comfortable in," Larkin tweeted. "All good. No shade. Glad I'm across the river now. Wish them luck."

The Nets were apparently higher on Larkin than Jackson, contacting Larkin as soon as he became a free agent on July 1 and quickly scooping him up, hoping he can return to the form he showed that enabled him to be a first-round pick with a more faced paced, pick-and-roll style of play.

Jackson was a bit more complementary with Andrea Bargnani, another Nets acquisition in free agency while also observing his history of injuries. He also noted that Bargnani had interest in remaining in New York for next season, which proved prophetic.

"Bargnani will be an unrestricted free agent and would be a great fit in the triangle," Jackson told Rosen. "He's 7-foot-1 with long arms, high shoulders, loads of talent and is an intriguing player. One thing working against him is his history of injuries. Because of a variety of injuries, at this time he's still in a training-camp mode -- and he hasn't really played full-time in over a year. Another concern is whether he wants to continue his NBA career or go back home and play in Italy. I had a sitdown with him last December and got the impression that he'd rather stay here. I know that he likes living in New York, and I've heard through the grapevine that he'd be happy returning to the Knicks. He's a very intelligent guy who's made some very profitable business investments in Italy, so money might not be a big issue. Anyway, if we can agree on a payday that meets both of our needs, this is something that will be worth investigating."


(nydailynews.com)

Shane Larkin was hoping for a fresh start and a chance to show what he can do in New York. But the speedy point guard and the Knicks’ triangle offense fit about as well as Phil Jackson trying to cram himself into a smart car.

So when Larkin became a free agent at midnight on July 1, the Nets came calling with a pitch the point guard was thrilled to hear.

“We just said we want to get back to how you played in Miami,” Nets general manager Billy King said recently about the former Hurricane. “Allowing you to be a leader on the floor, run the pick-and-roll, get up and down the court. That was the pitch to him.”

Brooklyn is hoping that the 5-foot-11 Larkin can show why he was the 18th overall pick in the 2013 draft out of Miami.

Larkin’s rookie season got off to a bad start when he broke his ankle during a summer league practice. He would end up playing in just 48 games, averaging 10.2 minutes and 2.8 points.

Dallas sent Larkin to the Knicks in a package deal centered around Tyson Chandler last summer. On a woeful, stripped down team that lost 65 games, Larkin averaged 6.2 points in 24.5 minutes while starting 22 games. In April, he averaged 8.4 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 31.8 minutes a game.

The Nets saw enough to believe that he can still realize his first-round potential in the right system.

“I talked to Billy and Lionel (Hollins) as soon as free agency started, and they told me they wanted me to come in and just play my game,” Larkin said at a recent Nets press conference to introduce the team’s free agent signings. “I’m more of a pick-and-roll guy, up and down. “And that’s the thing they told me they wanted me to come in and do. For them to tell me they wanted me to come in push the tempo, bring some energy to the team, that was everything I wanted to hear.”

At the moment, the Nets’ point guard position has much to prove. Brooklyn bought out Deron Williams and traded Steve Blake away. Jarrett Jack, as of now, is set to be the starter going into camp with Larkin poised to be his backup.

Brooklyn also may see what Ryan Boatright can do. The former UConn point guard averaged 14.1 points during summer league action. Larkin is looking forward to playing in a similar fashion as he did while at Miami, where he averaged 14.5 points and 4.6 assists and won ACC Player of the Year honors before leaving as a sophomore.

“I mean the triangle is a good offense if you have the type of players that fit within that offense,” Larkin said. “And I don’t feel like it was the best offense for me. I’m more of a pick-and-roll guy, and there’s not as many pick and rolls in that offense. I’m not talking bad about it. It’s a great offense. I wish them nothing but the best.”

“Last year was definitely a roller coaster ride,” Larkin added of the Knicks. “… We had great aspirations last year to make the playoffs and prove everybody wrong and then just a lot of stuff happened. People were hurt, we never were healthy, we were trying to learn a new system… I think Fish (Derek Fisher) did a really good job of keeping everybody together. Nobody really lost themselves last year, but it was definitely a difficult time, and I wish them luck.”

Now Larkin is looking for another new start in another area of New York. The Nets hope Larkin discovers his first-round talent on the other side of the river.

“He’s still young,” King said of Larkin, 22. “He came out (of school) early. I said the same thing to (free agent addition) Thomas Robinson -– we want to get you back to being what got you drafted, to where you were.” “We’re going to let you be who you are.”


(espn.com)

For Shane Larkin, joining the Nets for the 2015-16 season won’t require much of a commute. The 5-foot-11 guard joins Brooklyn after spending last season with the New York Knicks, averaging 6.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 24.5 minutes per game.

Making his first appearance with the squad at last month’s player-signing press conference alongside Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young and new face Thomas Robinson, Larkin felt right at home.

Someone who Nets General Manager Billy King says will provide “athleticism at the point,” Larkin is already looking forward to that East River rivalry. Get to know one of the latest additions to the Nets roster.

First reactions on coming to Brooklyn: I was really excited. I was in New York last year, so obviously I’m excited to still be playing here in New York City, where basketball is a mecca. Coming across the water is definitely going to be interesting. I’m happy to be on the other side now and it’ll be fun when we play the Knicks.

Favorite movie: Recently, “Jurassic World” was dope and “Ted 2” was mad funny. As for all-time favorites, I’ve got a lot of them, like “The Departed.” There are too many to name.

Musical taste: I really like all types of music. Some of the dudes in the game that I listen to are Meek Mill and Drake. Those are probably the two I’m listening to most right now.

Player who inspires him: When I was younger, my favorite player was Allen Iverson, but he’s more of a scorer though. I’m more of a facilitator. I like getting in the paint and creating for guys.

Familiarity with Brooklyn: Being in New York here, I’ve been over to Brooklyn a few times before. Came over for that Michael Jackson show, it was cool.

Game inspiration: There are a lot of point guards that do it well now. Ty Lawson is a guy I try to resemble myself after. We’re the same height. You try and take different parts of different guys’ games. I mean, Steph [Curry] is probably the best point guard in the league right now. CP3 is always a 10+ assist guy, so I try to model my game after them.

Favorite NYC spots: There is so much in the city to do. I just go to the city and wind up wherever it takes me. You can’t get bored here.

Favorite shot on the court: I just try to get it done in the paint. I like throwing lobs. Hope we can connect on some of those this year.

Role model: My role model is my Dad. He played baseball and he was a professional athlete. I’m just learning from him and learning the ropes. He showed me how to go about the business side of things and showed me how to become better and better. Whenever I’m feeling down or not fully confident in myself, I can just call him and he’ll help me out.

One thing to tell Nets fans: I’m really excited for the season. It’s a great opportunity for me and the team. I’m glad we got Brook back, we got Thad back and brought in T-Rob. I think it can be really exciting and the sky’s the limit. We just have to mesh well together and come together as a group. I think we’ll have a really good season and it’s going to be fun when we play across the water.


(nba.com)

After struggling last season with the Knicks, Shane Larkin is hoping a different system and borough will rejuvenate a career that he believes was stalled by Phil Jackson’s triangle.

“(The triangle) just wasn’t the best fit for me,” Larkin said. “It’s a good system but I’m a pick-and-roll point guard. That’s how I got in the NBA, playing pick-and-roll in college. That’s how I got here and now being back in a system where I can play the pick-and-roll and just getting in the lane, create for others, shoot my floater, and do a bunch of other things.”

Larkin was introduced Thursday as Brooklyn’s new point guard, signing a two-year, $3 million deal to play alongside Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young. Where he fits in the rotation is still up in the air, considering the Nets have four point guards on the roster and it’s not clear who will stick around before training camp.

Larkin, 22, who is on his third NBA team in three seasons, acknowledged that he’s motivated to avoid a journeyman’s career, that he wants to stick around in Brooklyn beyond his contract. The former 18th overall pick out of the University of Miami averaged 6.2 points and three assists last season, leading the 17-win Knicks in minutes played.

“My rookie year (in Dallas), coming off an injury, I broke my ankle, miss the first 20 games. Last year, being in a system where it wasn’t really a fit,” said the son of MLB Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. “I feel like this year I can really go out there and be in the pick-and-roll, be in my comfort zone.

“I’m not talking bad about (the triangle),” Larkin clarified, “I just want to get that out there. It’s a great offense. I wish them nothing but the best.”

The three other point guards on Brooklyn’s roster have considerable more experience than Larkin – Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack and Steve Blake. But Williams and Jack are on the trading block as GM Billy King attempts to cut salary.

A source told the Daily News that the Nets are still deciding whether to keep Steve Blake, who was acquired in a trade last month with Portland and is a buyout candidate.

“I know we have a lot of guys at the point guard position. That’ll be resolved hopefully in the next month, eliminate, so hopefully we won’t have as many going to camp,” King said.

Larkin isn’t going anywhere.

“The one thing he’s still young. He came out (of college) early,” King said. “And we just said we want to get back to how you played in Miami – allowing you to be a leader on the floor, run the pick-and-roll, get up and down the court. That was the pitch to him.”

The Knicks did not try to re-sign Larkin, who was acquired from the Mavericks before last season.

“I talked to Billy (King) at 12 midnight, the first minute we could talk,” Larkin said. “I knew they had strong interest. I had some other teams that called but he was the only other GM that called at that time of night and express that type of interest. So just for him to do that showed me that they wanted me here. That was enough for me.” 


(nydailynews.com)

Point guard Shane Larkin is on the move, but he won't have to go far, as the former Knick is signing a two-year deal worth $3 million with the Nets, per Yahoo Sports.

Larkin played well in a backup role last season, averaging 6.2 points and 3.0 assists in 76 games for New York. He'll join a crowded backcourt in Brooklyn, where the Nets feature Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack and Steve Blake at the point guard position.


(cbssports.com)

Shane Larkin piled up 15 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and one steal in Sunday's win over the visiting Sixers, making 4-of-8 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws with zero turnovers in 41 minutes.

Larkin's sky-high playing time is his greatest asset, and tonight's beefy line is reason enough to pick him up where available. His value is even more secure with Alexey Shved (ribs) and Jose Calderon (Achilles) almost certainly done for the season.


(rotoworld.com)

Shane Larkin hit just 1-of-2 shots for two points and two assists in 30 minutes of Wednesday's blowout loss to the Clippers.

He's getting minutes for the banged up and dreadful Knicks, but he is also dreadful. If you thought Tony Snell didn't do anything with his minutes for the Bulls, take a look at Larkin's game log.


(rotoworld.com)

Shane Larkin scraped by with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting, two rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 32 minutes off the bench on Monday.

If you gambled on him during the five-game week this is a good start. For prospective owners this week he'll be a risky add in a four-game sample.


(rotoworld.com)

Shane Larkin did not score in 26 minutes in the Knicks loss versus the Pacers on Wednesday with two rebounds and four assists.

He's played 27.3 minutes per game since his return to the lineup back on Feb. 27, averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 boards, 3.5 assists and 0.5 treys. Larkin could get hot, but he hasn't had consecutive good games for basically the entire season. No thanks for now.


(rotoworld.com)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Shane Larkin is back from strep throat and ready to show in the final 26 games he belongs on the Knicks next season.

Larkin, who is expected to start at point guard Friday on the road against the Pistons after missing the past three games, said he wants to remain a Knick, but also knows a lot of other NBA teams are watching him closely now.

In late October, Knicks president Phil Jackson decided against exercising the option on Larkin’s rookie deal because of the price tag of about $2 million. The former University of Miami stud, who was selected with the 18th pick by Dallas in 2013, will be an unrestricted free agent.

“Who doesn’t want to be on the New York Knicks playing in New York?’’ Larkin said. “That’s just Phil and them must decide at end of the year. My job is to go out there last 25 games play hard and show I deserve to be on this team.

“The league is watching at all times,’’ Larkin added. “If I go out there and play well the last 25 games, the Knicks could want me or someone else could want me. It’s not that I’m set on one team. They didn’t pick up my option. I can go wherever, but of course I want to stay in New York.’’

It’s unusual for a mid-first-rounder such as Larkin, who began the season as the starter because of Jose Calderon’s calf strain, to be playing for a contract late in his second season. But sources have indicated Jackson is concerned about Larkin’s height, ability to finish around the rim and on-ball defense. On the other hand, he has great speed, great hands and a knack for coming up with steals.

The Knicks’ decision to give combo guard Langston Galloway a $200,000 guarantee for next season if he’s at training camp could mean the Knicks are thinking Larkin is a goner.

Larkin has started 14 of the 50 games he’s played in, averaging 5.4 points on 41.4 percent shooting (34.2 percent on 3-pointers). He’s also averaging 2.5 assists and 1.0 turnovers.

“My season has been a roller-coaster ride,’’ Larkin said. “I started some and played big minutes, came off the bench, played minutes. I didn’t play at all some games. It’s been a roller-coaster ride.’’

Larkin’s father, baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, has attended the occasional game.

“I only kind of seen him in passing in the stands,’’ coach Derek Fisher said of the elder Larkin. “I have a tremendous amount of respect who he is and what he accomplished. Shane is an excellent young man beyond the basketball part. His parents should be proud. We’re hopeful he continues to improve and utilize this final stretch of season [to show] he wants to be here and deserves to be here.

“He’s continuing to evolve and mature as a pro,’’ Fisher added. “And what that means is not just on the court in the games but approach and mindset in practice. Those are things he’s learning, and it’s going to take time for a young player like that. He’s tried to maximize his opportunities. No way he could’ve expected coming into the season what’s going to happen. He knows there’s a lot more he can do.”


(nypost.com)

Knicks coach Derek Fisher said Thursday he is hopeful guard Shane Larkin will be available to play in Friday's game at Detroit, reports the team's official website.

Larkin is suffering from an illness, which has caused him to miss the last three games. Larkin has been trying to regain his conditioning. In 50 games, Larkin is averaging 5.4 points and 2.5 assists.


(cbssports.com)

Former Dr. Phillips basketball player Shane Larkin, who now plays for the New York Knicks, celebrated an NBA career high eight assists Monday night in a 105-83 loss to Memphis.  

The 5-foot-11 guard also collected seven points, three rebounds and two steals.

According to Dr. Phillips’ athletics website, Larkin was “an undersized freshman” but graduated in 2011 second on the school’s all-time scoring list.

He also led the Panthers in back-to-back state runner-up finishes (2010-11), holds school records for most steals in a game, season and career, and was inducted into DP’s Athletic Hall of Fame last year.


(orlandosentinel.com)

Shane Larkin played 31 minutes against the Grizzlies on Monday with seven points, three rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one 3-pointer during an ugly 105-83 loss.

It's a decent line and the Knicks are going to need him to play around 30 minutes while the team figures out what to do with scoring the ball. Larkin won't have an extremely high upside, so he's not a great add in standard leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

BOSTON – Shane Larkin is still learning how to play in the NBA, but if there’s one thing he can already do at an elite level, it’s get steals.

Tony Allen, John Wall, Mario Chalmers and Elfrid Payton are the only guards who’ve played as much as Larkin this season and stolen the ball on a higher percentage of opponents’ possessions when on the court.

I ask Larkin the key to getting so getting so many steals.

“Fast and short,” interjects Knicks rookie Cleanthony Early, one locker over.

After playfully chiding Early for interrupting the interview, Larkin insists the simple assessment is inaccurate.

“It’s more than that, because there’s a lot of short, fast guys who don’t get steals,” said Larkin, 22, the Knicks’ youngest player. “It’s anticipation, seeing things happening before they happen.”

Larkin sure does that.

In the last six months, Larkin has been traded and had the third-year team option on his rookie contract declined, sending his career into a bit of chaos.
Overwhelming? Nah. Larkin saw it all coming.

The Mavericks acquired Larkin, the No. 18 pick in 2013, in a draft-night trade. An injury-riddled rookie year put him on the outside looking in at Dallas’ rotation this season. He understood the Mavericks were trying to win now around Dirk Nowitzki – “Dirk deserves that,” Larkin said – and predicted a trade. Dallas dealt him to the Knicks in June.

In New York, he realized the Knicks were trying to maximize 2015 cap space. So, he also understood why they called him into an office just before the season to tell him they were declining his option for the 2015-16 season.

Now, Larkin will become an unrestricted free agent this summer – a rare predicament/opportunity for a player with his résumé and a crucial moment for the Knicks, who’ve long struggled to develop and keep young talent.

Larkin’s production – 5.4 points, 2.3 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 23.0 minutes per game – is modest, but he’s beginning to make good on the potential he showed before the draft. The 5-foot-11 point guard jumped 44 inches at the combine, the fifth-best mark in the DraftExpress database. He also had the fastest sprint time among players drafted in his class.

No doubt, Larkin, who turned pro following his sophomore season at Miami and is the son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, has talent. His upside makes New York’s decision to decline his option all the more suspect.

The Knicks’ motivations are clear. They want to pursue big-time free agents next summer, pitching Carmelo Anthony’s star power, Phil Jackson’s winning pedigree and New York’s market share. By declining Larkin’s option and presumably renouncing him, they’ll gain $1,150,227 in cap room. If they renounce all their free agents, they could create more than $22 million in cap space.

Depending where the salary cap actually lands, declining Larkin’s option could make the difference between New York being able to offer someone a max contract. If that proves to be the case and the Knicks land a big free agent, the move will be a huge success.

But it’s risky to cast aside a promising young player on a cheap contract just for the chance of signing a star, especially when dropping the young player isn’t even guaranteed to increase the odds of nabbing the star. What if the Knicks would have had enough cap room to sign their top target with Larking remaining on the roster?

It’s not as if the Knicks can afford to keep throwing away young talent. That’s what got them into their current mess.

Make no mistake: Larkin is hardly an elite prospect. But he’s a former top-20 pick under the age of 24, a combination that shows his potential. Sure, there are 68 such players in the league, making the distinction far from unique. But Larkin is the Knicks’ only one.


(probasketballtalk.com)

Shane Larkin played 25 minutes against the Spurs on Wednesday with six points, three rebounds, four assists and one turnover.

He is going to get some minutes off the bench as the Knicks try to piece together their second unit. Larkin hasn't really done much in his first season with the Knicks and is only worth grabbing in very deep leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

As we await Thursday night's inevitable revenge curb-stomping at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, perhaps it is time to take a step back and appreciate the good things about the New York Knicks.

Hey, Shane Larkin is playing pretty well of late.

The pint-sized scion of Barry Larkin was put a most unenviable position to start the season -- appointed as the starting point guard in place of the injured Jose Calderon, tasked with running the brand new Triangle Offense. The results were just about everything you've come to expect from the 2014-15 Knicks:

When Larkin wound up with a DNP-CD in Calderon's debut against Philadelphia, it appeared he might be on the outs in Derek Fisher's schizophrenic rotation. But the kid has been one of New York's few positive contributors in the five games since his benching, chipping in 6.2 points on 45.8 percent shooting (41.7 percent from three) to go along with 1.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19.4 minutes per game.

Freed from the burden of starting, Larkin is playing like a mini-Pablo Prigioni -- a strong (albeit unwilling) three-point shooter with a flair for sneakery. He ranks 16th in the league in steal percentage, two spots ahead of the master himself. Shane and Pablo are two of only five players who are shooting higher than 40 percent from three-point range while posting a steal percentage of higher than 2.5 -- a bizarre and hilarious list that also includes Steph Curry, Chris Paul and Jason Terry.

Ah, but is that really noteworthy? Perhaps not on a decent team, but certainly on the suck-ass Knicks. Hitting an occasional shot and swiping a steal or two practically qualifies Larkin as New York's best guard under the age of 30. Believe it or not, Larkin ranks third among Knicks guards in win shares per 48 minutes, behind only Prigioni and Calderon. Sure, that may say more about the unimaginable crappiness of New York's shooting guards, but let's try to accentuate the positive. Larkin is a young player who bounced back from a tough start and is playing some good basketball in a more appropriate role.

The question now becomes whether or not he can sustain this recent hot streak, particularly from beyond the arc. For what it's worth, the draftniks were bullish on Larkin's shooting ability coming into the league -- including this pre-draft analysis from some random chump named Paul Chillsap:

In addition to Larkin's splendid play on the interior, he showed a much improved perimeter shooting touch after a poor freshman season. Larkin shot 40% on the season from the great beyond, often showing true NBA range. He is comfortable shooting both off the catch and off the dribble, which renders him a diverse weapon on offense. For a team that runs plenty of offense through Carmelo Anthony, it's important that Melo have guys on the outside who can stretch the floor. Larkin seems to have both the ability and the confidence to be a capable and efficient shooter in the NBA, supported by his impressive .600 TS% in his final year at Miami. He shows solid mechanics, though a bit inconsistent. Larkin drifts forward a bit with his right foot at times and doesn't always follow through, but appears to have the touch to compensate.

It is scouting reports like these that led to Larkin being drafted 17th overall in 2013. That was seven spots ahead of current teammate Tim Hardaway Jr., a guard Larkin is currently out-playing. Perhaps that should come as no surprise.

Shane Larkin is never going to be a star. Hell, he's probably never going to be a starter. He has clear limitations on his game -- his height foremost among them. But the kid has some skills, and he seems to be on his way to finding a comfortable niche in the Knicks' rotation. And on a team with seemingly nothing but question marks, that simple fact can give fans a reason to smile.


(postingandtoasting.com)

As expected, the New York Knicks are going through growing pains in the early stages of the 2014-15 NBA season, as they try to establish the triangle offense and a consistent defensive system.

The Knicks will be hoping that their struggles—at least on the offensive end—can be attributed to the absence of Jose Calderon at point guard. He was their major offseason acquisition and part of the reason they were comfortable with letting go of Tyson Chandler and his expiring $14 million contract.

Shane Larkin has been starting in place of Calderon, and while he's shown serious flashes of being effective on both ends, his overall production has been so-so in comparison with what the rest of the league is putting out at point guard.

For a young player, who is effectively playing in his second rookie season after an injury-plagued first year with the Dallas Mavericks, Larkin has been great. This is especially so considering the role he's been thrust into. But in terms of giving New York the best chance to win, time is running out for him to prove himself as the worthy starter over Calderon.

As the superior shooter and passer, Calderon is the better fit in the triangle offense. Larkin's speed makes him more effective as a fast-break player, and he could actually be more useful to the team as a spark plug off the bench, bringing energy and athleticism in a group featuring fellow youngsters Tim Hardaway Jr. and Cleanthony Early.

Still, there is a case to be made for continuing to start Larkin, at least until he loses the job.

While in an ideal world the Knicks would be playing the best starting five possible, regardless of age or experience, the fact of the matter is that they aren't particularly close to their final form right now and the focus should be on building for the future. That means weighing how important it really is to give minutes to the likes of Calderon and Pablo Prigioni (both of whom are nearing the end of their careers) when Larkin is more likely to have a future in New York.

The experience Larkin could get starting this season, going through the ups and downs and getting used to playing with the long-term keepers—namely Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert—could be more valuable to the Knicks than the handful of extra wins Calderon and his veteran presence can provide.

Besides, this wouldn't necessarily mean a greatly diminished role for Calderon. Coming off the bench, he could help out the likes of Hardaway and Early with the offense and provide a bit more balance between the starters and the second unit. It's not like the Knicks have the greatest depth at the moment.

We know that Derek Fisher is still in the process of feeling out this team and finding the best rotation possible, and it's likely that will continue for a while even when Calderon and Andrea Bargnani return. A situation where Larkin continues to get starting experience but Calderon takes over in crunch time could work, so long as Larkin isn't actively hurting the team.

Given the low expectations for this season and the understanding that this is a work in progress, the Knicks have plenty of flexibility here and a decision doesn't have to be final.

Considering both sides, for the moment it is probably best to go with Calderon as the starter when he returns, barring an unlikely breakout from Larkin. The playoffs are still a realistic target, and as long as that is the case and you have both players and fans to keep happy, going with the best starting five possible is the best move.

Larkin should still get a fair amount of playing time off the bench and may actually showcase more against lesser competition as he continues to become comfortable in the NBA.

The pressures of running the point for a team getting accustomed to a new offense shouldn't rest on the shoulders of a young player, at least not this early in the season. That's what Calderon was brought here to do.

According to the NY Post, Phil Jackson has had the following to say about Calderon and the Knicks' offense:

We’re missing a lead guard of the quality of Jose who has the composure and ability to settle a team down, gve them organization of the offense with some savvy.

The Knicks' early problems don't necessarily stem exclusively from Larkin but with the team averaging a league-worst 91.1 points per game. Something has to change and the addition of a point guard of Calderon's calibre could be that change.


(bleacherreport.com)

Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors believes Larin may have been a steal.

The potential steal of the trade with the Mavs was young point guard Shane Larkin, a first-rounder in the 2013 draft who didn’t see much playing time during his rookie season. Larkin has an extremely high upside, and he has been the team’s starter early in the season thanks to an injury to Calderon. But the Knicks may have made an error in declining to pick up his $1.675MM team option for next season since the CBA bars the team from re-signing him for more than he would have made on his option. If Larkin continues to impress on the court, he’ll likely command a higher salary than that option would have paid him. This could end up being another potentialJeremy Lin scenario, where the player has a breakout season and then another team swoops in and offers more than New York will be able to match.

Larkin did not have his third-year option which is a surprise to some. Although the Knicks want to maintain flexibility for free agency, if the 18th-overall pick of the first round of the 2013 Draft develops, it could be a mistake.

Larkin averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 assists in 10.2 minutes per game. He shot 38.0% from the field, 31.6% from beyond the arc and 64.0% from the charity stripe.


(fansided.com)

All the information is in. Larkin’s 2015-16 salary would be $1,675,320. He’s started both games for New York this season, averaging 7.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals.

Phil Jackson can’t waiver any longer. It’s decision day.

Marc Berman of the New York Post:

“Nothing's changed with #Knicks view on Shane Larkin's contract option with deadline today. They'll pass. Larkin had 9 pts, 5 assists but -5.”

I think this is a mistake, though a minor one.

The Knicks are obviously banking on free agency next summer to upgrade their roster, and declining Larkin’s option ensures an extra $1,150,227 in cap room. (A minimum-salary cap hold would replace him if New York renounces him.)

But it seems likely Larkin, who spent his rookie year struggling in Dallas, will progress to the point the Knicks can dump him without a sweetener if necessary. He might even turn out to be worth keeping.

Instead, Larkin will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, and New York will have a little extra cap room to entice free agents.


(probasketballtalk.com)

Not only has Shane Larkin been thrust into starting duty for the Knicks, but he has been holding his own amid quite the four-game trial by fire against some of the best point guards in the NBA.

Larkin, filling in for injured starter Jose Calderon, has fared well in the Knicks’ split of his first two career starts against Derrick Rose and the Bulls and Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers. His next two matchups will be with Charlotte’s Kemba Walker on Sunday and Washington’s John Wall on Tuesday, both at the Garden.

“Yeah, those are all All-Star caliber guys so as a second year guy coming off an up and down rookie season with an injury being able to be thrown into that type of fire and just go out there and play, it’s a great experience for me,” Larkin said after practice Saturday in Greenburgh. “Going against some of the top players in the league, it’s just going to make me better.”

Larkin, 22, added that his dad — baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin — was unable to attend either of the Knicks’ first two games due to his TV commitments during the World Series. But he’s doing just fine on his own.

Obtained from Dallas over the summer following an injury-plagued rookie season, Larkin said that he didn’t feel slighted that the Knicks declined to pick up his $1.68 million third-year option by Friday’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent next summer.

“I mean, that’s a business deal,” said Larkin, who is averaging 7.5 points, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1.5 turnovers through two games. “Obviously they want to build a championship team here and they need as much money as they can next summer to be able to bring in the big free agents that they’re looking at.

“It’s not like they told me, like, ‘we don’t see you as part of our future, we don’t want you, da-da-da-da…If that was the case I’d be sitting on the bench. So obviously, they want to see what I have.”

With Calderon expected to miss at least 2-to-3 weeks with a calf injury he aggravated during warmups before the season opener Wednesday against the Bulls, Larkin’s opportunity to help run the Knicks’ triangle offense will continue.

“Shane has been really good for us,” first-year coach Derek Fisher said of the former Miami Hurricanes star. “To think about a young guy that didn’t have a preseason or a training camp last year (due to a leg injury), misses a lot of games, gets traded over the summer, new team, new coach, new way of playing basketball, 10 minutes before opening night, almost in some ways, finds out that he’s the starting point guard for the New York Knicks, that’s a lot.

“And he has handled himself extremely well. He has been good for our team, not just controlling the basketball and making solid decisions but defensively being scrappy and aggressive out there.”


(nydailynews.com)

It wasn’t the best of circumstances to make his NBA starting debut, but Shane Larkin swears it wasn’t a big deal.

Barely two hours before the start of the Knicks-Bulls game, Larkin received a startling bit of news.

Larkin was announced as the starter around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, after Jose Calderon experienced discomfort in his calf during a pregame workout, forcing coach Derek Fisher to shut him down for the season opener.

Calderon, the point guard entrusted with running the Knicks’ cherished triangle offense couldn’t go.

So the 5-11 Larkin started in his place, an extraordinary turn of events for a second-year guard making his first career start.

And in his first taste of the limelight, Larkin would be tasked with facing a revived Derrick Rose, hell-bent on showing the world he’s fully recovered from a pair of knee surgeries that robbed him of the past two seasons.

Afterward, Larkin described the experience as humbling and something he will never forget, but not in a good way.

He spoke of the lessons learned and the ways in which the Knicks malfunctioned on offense, allowing the Bulls to humiliate them in a 104-80 loss at the Garden.

Larkin had to deal with a livid crowd that rained down boos on the team with barely seven minutes left in the third quarter and the Knicks trailing, 65-49.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s a learning experience,” said Larkin, who finished with six points on 2-of-6 shooting, three assists and one steal with no turnovers while Rose had just 13 points and five assists. “And we’re going to take what we did tonight and if we see it tomorrow night we’re going to get better and better until we’re good.”

It won’t get easier on Thursday for the Knicks as they travel to Cleveland to face LeBron James and the Cavaliers. If Calderon’s calf doesn’t cooperate, Larkin could be pushed into the starting lineup again.

Larkin claims he wasn’t unsettled or caught off guard by the news of Calderon getting pulled.

“You prepare to be an everyday player in this league,” he said. “You prepare like you’re a starter, so it wasn’t anything I had to change in my mind. So I really didn’t do anything different. I mean, we thought Jose was going to start but something happened. He had a setback. I got put in there. It’s not a big deal.”

Larkin says the Knicks never faced a defense that pressured them like the Bulls did.

The swarming defense forced the Knicks players to start rushing the triangle offense, leading to bad shots and a lopsided score. It was another learning experience.

“I think they started pressuring up a little bit,” Larkin said. “We didn’t see a lot of pressure in the preseason, so it’s a learning experience for us. When teams get up and start pressuring us, we don’t have to speed up ourselves, and chase shots. Shots will come if we execute the offense. Tonight we didn’t execute well enough. We didn’t trust each other. We started going one-on-one.”


(nydailynews.com)

Just days after reports surfaced suggesting the New York Knicks were all but set to exercise their team option on guard Shane Larkin, it appears there may have been a change of heart.

A first-round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Larkin didn’t exactly wow during his rookie campaign which lead many to question why the Knicks would pick up his option.

However, due just $1.6 million dollars for the upcoming season perhaps the New York Knicks were thinking his relatively small salary wouldn’t play a major role in their effort to clear salary at season end. Now however that idea may have changed as Yahoo Sports is reporting the Knicks may prefer cap space to keeping the former Miami talent.

Knicks could be changing course on picking up Shane Larkin 2015-'16 option, now leaning toward the cap space, sources say. Deadline Friday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 25, 2014

While Shane Larkin’s relatively small salary wouldn’t normally be a major impact, if the New York Knicks are to be buyers come free agency they’ll need to clear as much money off the books as possible. Add in that Larkin hasn’t exactly played all that well and it seems understandable as to why the Knicks may opt to let him walk.

It’s completely possible the team could attempt to re-sign Shane Larkin after the season though simply don’t want to have his $1.6 million dollar salary be the reason as to why they can’t bring in a key free agent (or more than one).

For now it appears Larkin’s future in the Big Apple is up in the air.


(fansided.com)

Shane Larkin started at point guard against the Wizards on Wednesday, posting a line of five points, four boards, four assists and two turnovers in 24 minutes.

John Wall made him look pretty bad and Larkin's lack of size was a factor tonight. Still, coach Derek Fisher likes his speed and ability to penetrate, so he should be in the rotation. Unless Jose Calderon (calf) misses time, Larkin won't be worth owning in most leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

After some initial uncertainty, the New York Knicks plan to pick up the third-year contract option for guard Shane Larkin, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Knicks have been satisfied with Larkin, 22, in the preseason, and will guarantee the $1.67 million on his contract for the 2015-16 season.

The deadline for guaranteeing the third-year option comes at the end of October.

As Knicks president Phil Jackson plans to use significant salary cap space for high-profile free agents in the summer of 2015, he’s been cautious on committing guaranteed money to the payroll. In the preseason, Larkin has averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 assists in 20 minutes per game for New York.

New York acquired Larkin, guard Jose Calderon and center Sam Dalembert from Dallas as part of a deal for center Tyson Chandler and guard Raymond Felton in June.

Larkin was the 18th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft in which he was part of a deal from Atlanta to Dallas. He averaged 10.2 minutes per game as a rookie for the Mavericks in the 2013-14 season. Larkin was an All-ACC player at the University of Miami.


(yahoo.com)

New point guard Shane Larkin is so lightning-fast he will try to pull the Knicks out of the triangle offense at times.

That’s the plan, according to Larkin, whom coach Derek Fisher is leaning toward as backup point guard over Pablo Prigioni despite his inexperience.

Fisher wants speed on the second unit and the second-year Larkin, whose rookie campaign in Dallas was a whitewash because of a broken ankle, is regarded as one of the NBA’s fastest players. Larkin was timed during the 2013 pre-draft combine, running a 3.09 (a combine best) in the three-quarter court speed drill.

Larkin, whose father, baseball Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin, watched the Knicks preseason opener in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, would fit wonderfully in former coach Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense, but he might fit with Fisher, too.

“That’s my role on this team,’’ said Larkin, who logged 24 minutes Wednesday, and pushed the pace, but committed three turnovers. “I saw a lot of the stuff they did last year. They told me last year we were one of the slowest teams so to come here and push the tempo and get guys to run with me.’’
That could mean less triangle when Larkin is in.

“It doesn’t mean necessarily running into the triangle,’’ Larkin said. “We can get up and down there 4, 5 seconds and see if we have anything. And if we don’t, pull it out with 17 on the clock and get into the triangle.”

Prigioni’s role is unclear. There were summer rumblings the Knicks had shopped the Spanish point guard. Prigioni’s chances may he hurt because he plays a similar game to former Spanish League teammate, starter Jose Calderon.

“That’s probably best asset I bring to this team,’’ Larkin said of speed. “Jose and Pablo are both older and know how to get the team into the offense, are great shooters and offensive leaders. When I come into the game I want to be the sparkplug and get everything going, speed them up on the defensive and offensive end and create easy buckets.”

Fisher said he likes Larkin with the young, fast second unit featuring Tim Hardaway Jr. and rookie forward Cleanthony Early.

“That’s the thing we have this year,’’ Larkin said. “[Cleanthony] has young legs, Tim has young legs. When I’m in there with those guys, I’ll push the ball, and it’s going to make them run.”

“He has all the tools to be successful,’’ Fisher said. “I think he’s going to help up this year.’’


(nypost.com)

The New York Knicks competed their Summer League run with a record of 4-1. We will review the 2014 summer league roster starting with point guard Shane Larkin.

From Game 1 until Game 5, Larkin was the most improved player on the Knicks roster. He started off slow and off the mark, as he got more comfortable in the offense, Larkin really improved. The turnaround for the Miami product began in the fourth quarter of the second game, which culminated in Larkin’s game-winning baseline jumper. Larkin started 4 of 16 (25 percent) and finished 20 of 40 (50 percent).

Considering he isn’t an elite athlete that shouldn’t come as a total surprise. Larkin isn’t going to overwhelm opponents with elite size or speed, so he needs to play within an offensive scheme. As he learned, Larkin got better and better.

It seemed, as he understood what he was supposed to do, the 2013 first round pick played with more confidence. In the final three games he did a much better job of finishing around the rim, after looking very shaky early on in Las Vegas. He’s an excellent cutter and flashed the ability to move without the ball, which should endear him to president Phil Jackson and coach Derek Fisher. Most of his baskets around the rim were the result of backdoor cuts.

At times Larkin flashed a sweet stroke, something Jackson spoke about when he visited the MSG telecast. The president identified Larkin as a “good shooter” and listed the point guard among those he wants shooting the ball from the perimeter. However, Larkin needs to be more consistent with his outside game from downtown. In Las Vegas, he shot just 42.9 percent overall and a very poor 30 percent from three-point range.

He’s not a pure playmaker (3.4 assists per game) and lacks the ability to consistently breakdown defenses off the dribble, but that’s OK, because the triangle offense is built on ball and player movement, while spreading out the distribution responsibilities. Having said that, Larkin is a good passer with excellent court vision. He also has a strong handle and except for a few sloppy moments he did a good job of protecting the basketball.

At times he had trouble staying with opponents who were both bigger and quicker than him, but for the most part Larkin had a strong defensive run in Vegas. He is heady and pesky. Larkin has the quick hands to strip the basketball away from opponents and is even better at playing the passing lanes with his deft anticipation skills. He had 15 steals in five games and more than held his own on the boards, averaging 4.2 rebounds per game.

If he can improve his three-point shooting Larkin has all the tools to be an effective player in the triangle offense.

While reports have the Knicks talking internally about trading Larkin, as the club looks to shed some of their glut at the guard position, I’d like to see Larkin stay. He may not have the highest ceiling, but he’s young enough were there is still a lot of room to grow in his game. He’s a smart and skilled player who plays with passion defensively, all attributes the Knicks can use.

In Las Vegas, Larkin showed he could be a contributing player this upcoming season as a backup to Jose Calderon, providing 15-22 minutes coming off the bench in his second NBA season. Expect Larkin to continue to get better as he learns the nuances of the triangle offense


(allmediany.com)

That sequence was emblematic of Larkin’s performance throughout the NBA Summer League. Just a few weeks after the Dallas Mavericks sent him to the Knicks in a multi-player trade, Larkin impressed new Knicks president Phil Jackson and new Knicks coach Derek Fisher.

“I feel like I have a great opportunity here,” Larkin told the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s a new team, a new system, a fresh start, a new coach. Phil just took over the team, so it’s a completely new chemistry and new brand of Knicks basketball that they’re trying to build. I’m glad I can be a part of that.”

In five exhibitions, Larkin — who attended Orlando’s Dr. Phillips High and the University of Miami —  averaged 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.0 steals per game. He turned over the ball just 1.4 times per game.

Larkin compiled those statistics even as he was adjusting to the triangle offense, the system that the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers employed as Jackson coached them to 11 NBA titles.

“Shane was fantastic,” Fisher told the Knicks’ website.

“In a lot of ways, he was our most stable and consistent performer in terms of being solid with the basketball, making the right plays, making the right reads. I thought defensively he caused a lot of problems for every team that we played, and that’s where he can change the game every time he’s on the floor.”

Though only 21 years old, Larkin already has endured a tumultuous start to his NBA career.

On draft night last year, the Atlanta Hawks selected him 18th overall, then sent his draft rights to the Mavericks.

A few weeks later, as he was practicing with the Mavericks’ summer-league team, he fractured his right ankle just a few hours before the Mavericks were scheduled to leave for Las Vegas.

Larkin underwent surgery to insert two screws into his ankle, and the recovery forced him to miss training camp and the entire preseason. He made his NBA debut in mid-November, but he played sparingly for Dallas, appearing in just 48 games.

Then, on June 25, one day before this year’s draft, the Mavericks included him in a multi-player trade with the Knicks. Dallas sent Larkin, point guard Jose Calderon, center Samuel Dalembert, swingman Wayne Ellington and a pair of second-round picks to New York for center Tyson Chandler and point guard Raymond Felton.

Larkin likely will find himself behind Calderon and Pablo Prigioni on the Knicks’ depth chart at point guard. But Calderon is 32, and Prigioni is 37. If the Knicks want to play up-tempo and want to improve their defense at the point of attack, they’ll turn to Larkin.

He should be able to learn from Fisher, a first-year head coach who played in the triangle under Jackson with the Lakers.

“There’s really no better coach out there for me to learn from in this system,” Larkin said. “Dallas was a great situation, but this is also a great situation with a head coach that can help me probably more than he can help any of the other players, because he actually played my spot in this system.

“It’ll be a new learning experience. New York is the mecca for basketball. So if you can play in New York and be a good player in New York, it’s going to be a great thing for you.”


(orlandosentinel.com)

The World Cup ended Sunday, and with it all the pronouncements about soccer being such a cruel game, as if the sport had a monopoly on misery.

Anyone who follows the NBA knows basketball can be just as cruel, if not more so. You can get hurt a few days after you get drafted, miss most of your rookie season, then get traded away, leaving you empty, frustrated and looking at an uncertain future.

In other words, you could be Shane Larkin.

The former University of Miami star guard was taken No. 18 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by Atlanta and immediately traded to Dallas. He had parlayed a strong sophomore season with the Hurricanes where he was the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Year into first-round draft status and he was looking forward to building on that success at the NBA’s Vegas Summer League. But the day before the Mavericks were scheduled to depart for the VSL, Larkin broke his right ankle. He would be out of action for nearly five months. Upon his return he was thrown into the deep end by the Mavs and wound up averaging just 10 minutes and 2.8 points.

But last month, Larkin found himself leaving Dallas as he was dealt to the New York Knicks as part of a five-player trade. For him, it marked a fresh start and he’s in Las Vegas this week trying to take advantage of the opportunity after rumors were bubbling that the Knicks were going to move him, rumors that turned out to be false.

“It was a tough year, definitely,” Larkin said. “Coming into last summer, I had a lot of momentum. I went from not being on anyone’s draft radar screen to getting picked in the first round. I was adjusting very well and then the tragedy of breaking my ankle and being out, it set me back and put me behind the 8-ball again.

“But I’m real excited about this opportunity. I’m playing for a coach in Derek Fisher who was a great point guard in this league for many years and I know I’ll learn a lot from him.”

Larkin said last year, while frustrating, wasn’t a total waste.

“I’ve seen how people work and how they prepare and what the NBA game is about,” Larkin said. “The speed of the game. The physicality. I’ve been able to already adjust to that. So I feel I’m a little further ahead.”

Larkin seems to have a good grasp of the triangle offense the Knicks are running. Heading into today’s 1 p.m. contest with Charlotte at Cox Pavilion, Larkin has averaged 8.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 turnovers for the Knicks, who are 2-0 in VSL play.

“When it’s run right, it’s a hard offense to stop,” Larkin said of the triangle, of which only the most basic elements have been installed by Fisher for the Knicks’ summer league stint. “But there’s always an option and I like that. There’s still a lot to learn. But so far, I’m pretty comfortable with it.”

Fisher said Larkin has proved to be quick learner during the short time the 5-foot-11 guard has been with the Knicks.

“Shane’s a solid person and he’s willing to listen and be coached,” Fisher said. “Hopefully, we can teach him a few things here in Vegas and get him some experience.

“It’s unfortunate what happened to him last year. But in some ways, it’s a blessing in disguise. He probably has an open mind toward things and he’s more of an open book in terms of learning.”

The son of Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, he was reminded by his dad when the trade took place to look at it from the positive side.

“My dad played his entire career in one place — Cincinnati — but he saw hundreds of guys get traded,” Larkin said. “He explained to me that professional sports is a business and the NBA is about business. When my agent told me I was traded to the Knicks, my whole world flipped upside down. I went from a place where I was comfortable in Dallas and where I knew the system and the coaches to having to learn new coaches, a new system and a new city.

“It was difficult at first. But for me, I see this as a great chance to start fresh. I also want to show everyone that my being picked 18th last year wasn’t a mistake.”

(reviewjournal.com)

LAS VEGAS -- At this time last season, New York Knicks point guard Shane Larkin was on the sidelines due to an ankle injury. The surgery forced the then-Dallas Mavericks guard to miss his opportunity at NBA basketball in the Las Vegas Summer League. A year has passed, and Larkin is now a part of the Knicks. Larkin was acquired in the Tyson Chandler-Raymond Felton trade in late June. Shortly after the trade was announced, Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin spoke to the New York Post about the trade.

Shane Larkin wanted to clear the air on the comments.

"Let me clarify that situation," Larkin told ESPN Dallas. "My dad never said Coach Carlisle, [Mavs owner Mark] Cuban -- he never said that they don't know how to develop players because I got a lot better last year and I'm a lot better today than I was a year ago, regardless of the injury or anything. What my dad said was that the Dallas Mavericks are in win-now mode.

"Of course you're going to play Devin Harris, you're going to play Jose Calderon, you're going to play Monta Ellis, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki. You're going to play the guys who have proven themselves in the league."

The article quoted Barry Larkin as saying that "Dallas doesn’t do a good job of developing players. They’re in win-now mode. [Coach] Rick Carlisle doesn’t know how to develop young players, and Shane was a rookie. It always was a struggle for him to figure out what was going on."

The Knicks point guard went on to contradict the comments that suggested his father had negative feelings about the Mavs.

"My dad never said that Rick Carlisle is a dummy, [that] he doesn't know what he's doing," Larkin continued. "It's not like that. My dad was just saying that they're a veteran team, they're going to playing their veterans because they want to win right now. That's not saying Shane can't help them, but they're going with the guys that have already proven themselves. That's exactly what he said. Whoever said that my dad was badmouthing the Dallas Mavericks organization, that's a complete lie.

"My dad has mad love for everybody in Dallas. He called Coach Carlisle, he called Cuban and he told him that the reporter took it out of proportion. I just wanted to clarify it for everybody, everybody in Dallas. That's not what happened."

Larkin was presented early with an interesting situation as he got to face his former team in the first game of the Las Vegas Summer League. Larkin said that he certainly doesn't have any bad feelings toward the team he was with during his rookie season.

"They did what was good for them, what was going to make them a better team," Larkin explained. "Dirk is getting towards the end of his career, so they had to bring in players who could help him now. I completely understood the situation. They did what they did. Now I'm in New York, and I'm in a great situation where I can hopefully grow in their system and get better and hopefully just become a great player in this league."

Larkin gets a fresh start in New York, but he wanted to make sure Dallas knew that there wasn't any real bad blood.

(espn.com)

Orlando Summer League: 
Trey McKinney Jones – Miami Heat
DeQuan Jones – Indiana Pacers

Las Vegas Summer League:
Rion Brown – Charlotte Hornets
Kenny Kadji – Milwaukee Bucks
Shane Larkin – New York Knicks
DeQuan Jones – New Orleans Pelicans
Trey McKinney Jones – Miami Heat
Durand Scott – San Antonio Spurs

It’s not exactly like father, like son with Shane Larkin, who can’t wait to become a Knick and play in New York.

The young point guard’s father is Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, who famously nixed a trade from the Cincinnati Reds to the Mets in 2000, claiming he didn’t want to be a hired gun to help a playoff push. Larkin was then in the final year of his contract and was looking for an extension.

Father and son had a good laugh over the irony the other night after the younger Larkin was dealt from Dallas to the Knicks as part of a six-player trade. Larkin could assume backup point-guard duties to newcomer Jose Calderon despite his disappointing rookie season out of the University of Miami.

“I was actually talking to my father about it the other day,’’ Larkin said Friday. “I remember being at the press conference when he was stuck in a bind and didn’t know where he’d be — Cincinnati or New York. I’ve always liked New York, always liked the city. I was joking with him the other day, saying one of us finally has the opportunity to play for New York. It’s such a great sports city. I’m glad I’m the one who actually gets to play there.’’

The Knicks may not have been in this position had Shane Larkin not broken his foot during summer-league practice last July after being selected as the 18th pick. His rookie year became something of a wash, seeing limited action in 48 games, and the Mavs were willing to include him in the deal to get back center Tyson Chandler.

“I had a lot of steam coming off the ACC Tournament, playing well, confident in myself. The injury really set me back,” said Larkin, 21. “I was out 4 ½ months, put me behind the 8-ball. My first NBA game I was just thrown in there. A fresh start in New York offers me a new opportunity and go in there and create a different first impression and play the same game I played in college.’’

Larkin is a 5-foot-11 speedster.

“I’m a change-of-pace guard,’’ Larkin said. “With Jose coming in, I think I offer a different type of game from him. He’s more of a floor leader, always composed, takes control of the game. I’m a guy who can bring a different energy and pace and try to speed it up.”

Larkin will get his first crack at learning a new system when he plays in the Las Vegas summer league. The Knicks squad faces the Mavericks in the opener July 11.

“I think I can bring a lot to the triangle offense,’’ Larkin said. “Derek Fisher wasn’t the tallest guard, but what he did is succeed and have a great career. I’m looking forward to learning from him. I’ve never played in the system, so I want to get there early.’’

Larkin said he’s worked a lot in the offseason on his 3-point shot, noting he made 41 percent from beyond the arc in college but just 31 percent from NBA distance as a rookie.

Working hard is something he got from his father.

“I’ve just seen how professional athletes prepare and how fierce they take their job,” he said. “[Fans] don’t see the work behind the scenes, the extra work my father always got in. I’ve always had that advantage.’’


(nypost.com)

Barry Larkin retired from his excellent baseball career in 2004, but he’s still in the professional sports consciousness, as his son Shane is a point guard for the New York Knicks. Shane Larkin was drafted in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks last summer after an excellent season at the University of Miami in 2012-13, but had a quiet rookie year in Dallas, and was traded to the Knicks in the Tyson Chandler on Wednesday night.

It’s far too early to tell how much Larkin’s role will expand in New York, but his father Barry is excited for the move. Larkin told the New York Post that he wasn’t too thrilled with how things went for Shane in Dallas.

“Dallas doesn’t do a good job of developing players,’’ Barry Larkin told The Post in a phone interview from his home in Orlando. “They’re in win-now mode. [Coach] Rick Carlisle doesn’t know how to develop young players, and Shane was a rookie. It always was a struggle for him to figure out what was going on.’’
As for New York, the former Red respects the city’s passionate fans.

“I’m off-the-charts excited because of the passion of New York fans,’’ Barry Larkin said. “I went through the roof.’’

He’s since walked back the criticism a bit, saying that his comments were “spun negatively”:

We loved our time the D and appreciate the support and opportunity for #3. We are MFFL. Thank u and good luck!

— Barry Larkin (@BLarkin_ESPN) June 29, 2014

#MFFL I am disappointed in how every positive comment I made about the mavs organization, the big D, coach C and MC was spun negatively.

— Barry Larkin (@BLarkin_ESPN) June 29, 2014

We loved our time the D and appreciate the support and opportunity for #3. We are MFFL. Thank u and good luck!

— Barry Larkin (@BLarkin_ESPN) June 29, 2014

(collegespun.com)

Shane Larkin is hopeful that the Mavericks use more two point guard lineups next season.

"[The Spurs] had Patty Mills and Tony Parker out there at the same time," Larkin said. "They were out there causing havoc. Patty was picking up full court, being a little pest and getting under everybody’s skin, hitting big shots." If he wants to become anything close to Mills, Larkin will have to improve his 31.6 percent from downtown from his rookie season. He didn't get to play in summer league last year due to a broken ankle, but will try again this year.


(rotoworld.com)

Mavs PG Shane Larkin acknowledged that to earn a bigger role next season he must "get in the lane and create for others."

The 5'11" guard averaged 2.8 points on 38.0 percent shoting last season, but his quickness is intriguing for Mavs coach Rick Carlisle. "We need speed on this team," Carlisle said. "We need playmaking ability, we need lane penetration, we need defense and we need scoring, and I think [Larkin] can help us in all those areas."


(rotoworld.com)

It was a lackluster rookie season for Dallas Mavericks point guard Shane Larkin. Larkin was aiming to prove all of his doubters wrong, but got put on the shelf with an ankle fracture just before summer league started.

But now we’re on the heels of summer league again, and Larkin is fresh and ready to go. He’s learned the dangers of getting off to a bad start, as well as the inhospitable conditions of head coach Rick Carlisle‘s doghouse. Of course, Larkin wants to get out of Carlisle’s doghouse and, at the very least, establish himself as a backup NBA point guard.

Circumstances this past season led to the former first-round draft pick falling out of the rotation completely, but this upcoming season can be different, especially if Larkin can get off to a hot start. Who knows? Maybe starting point guard Jose Calderon gets injured in the preseason, or Devin Harris bolts from Dallas for more money.

Either way, Larkin is basically getting a do-over in his sophomore season. Short in height but big in heart and talent, Larkin has what it takes to prove the doubters wrong. If he happens to boost his stock, that still probably won’t squeeze him into Carlisle’s veteran-heavy rotation, but it could benefit both parties, as the Mavericks can use Larkin as a trade piece and Larkin can get a fresh start elsewhere.


(rantsports.com)

DALLAS — It was a bumpy entry into the NBA for Dallas Mavericks rookie Shane Larkin this season, but he took it all in stride.

Fracturing his right ankle in the final practice before the Mavericks’ summer-league squad headed to Las Vegas last July, the former Miami standout and first-round draft pick would be forced to sit and watch helplessly while rehabbing during training camp. But it wouldn’t take long for Larkin to make an impact and an impression on Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, suiting up for his long-awaited season debut on Nov. 18 and filling up the stat sheet with three points, three assists and three steals in nine minutes of reserve work off the bench during Dallas’ 97-94 home win over Philadelphia.

“Larkin showed that he’s a guy that can be a factor in this league as a point guard,” Carlisle said while highlighting the bright moments in the first-year guard’s season.

Forced to sit behind veterans Jose Calderon, Monta Ellis and Devin Harris in the backcourt most of the season, the 21-year-old Larkin would have to wait his turn from there while finding himself at the end of the bench. However, he would continue to provide the Mavs with glimpses of talent throughout the season while gaining more and more confidence from his head coach and teammates.

Scoring a season-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting while dishing out five assists in 27 minutes of action during the Mavs’ 110-107 win at Phoenix on Jan. 17, Larkin showed that he remained ready to answer the call when Calderon was hampered by a right knee contusion. The effort then quickly earned the respect of his coach and the team’s veterans while showcasing what Larkin could provide in future seasons.

“This is why we drafted him,” Carlisle said following Larkin’s best performance of the season. “We felt like he could have this kind of impact. Jose banged a knee in the first half and it wasn’t quite right in the second half, and so we totally changed our rotation and Shane responded in a big way. He made plays down the stretch, made free throws and hit guys. He was probably our leading scorer in the last four or five minutes, which is huge on the road. It’s hard to win on the road in the NBA.”

Attacking relentlessly to get into the lane, Larkin showed a cat-quick ability to run the team as a floor general on the offensive end of the floor. He also stepped up his game on defense, proving to be a one-man press against Suns point guard and Most Improved Player of the Year Goran Dragic.

All of which could be utilized in the backcourt next season, according to 12-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, as Larkin tries to expand his game in Year 2.

“I think it was his kind of game, an up-and-down game, and he was phenomenal,” Nowitzki said in regard to his young teammate’s night. ”He made big shots, he knocked down big free throws and we needed him, obviously, with Jose going down. The little guy was phenomenal. He competed, he picked up fullcourt and pushed the pace for us when we needed, so he was phenomenal.”

Perhaps more importantly, however, the performance also gave the rookie confidence in himself as he grew more comfortable in Carlisle’s system. That game could now serve as a blueprint for Larkin’s success going forward as he looks to continue developing this summer before heading into his second season.

“I was like, ‘I’ve just got to go play now. I mean, I’m not coming out, so just go out there and do you,’” Larkin recalled of his performance after seeing Calderon go down in the second half. “Sometimes you think as a rookie you don’t want to mess up. You want to play smart and you don’t want to do things that Coach [Carlisle] isn’t comfortable with you doing yet. … It was just go play.

“Phoenix likes to get up and down, and I’ve always been accustom to the up-and-down style. It was just a great game, 110-107, and just to be able to know I contributed and was a part of the win in a big way really just helps your confidence.”


(mavs.com)

Point guards Shane Larkin and Gal Mekel are two of the players who will represent the Dallas Mavericks in the Samsung NBA Summer League, which will be played from July 11-21 in Las Vegas.

The games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center -- and at the COX Pavilion -- on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

A total of 23 NBA franchises, plus a team of select players from the NBA Development League, will compete in a tournament-style format. Each squad is guaranteed to play at least five games.

Both Larkin and Mekel had their rookie seasons interrupted by injuries this past year. Larkin underwent right ankle surgery on July 16, while Mekel had right knee surgery on Jan. 17.


(star-telegram.com)

DALLAS — Shane Larkin was less than a year old when his father, Hall of Fame baseball player Barry Larkin, had to deal with an owner who made racial comments.

Major League Baseball fined Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott $250,000 and suspended her from baseball for one year in 1993 after she made racial slurs against African-Americans, Asians and Jews. At the time, Barry Larkin was a star shortstop for the Reds, and Schott’s comments caused a national stir.

“I was young and I didn’t really know about what was going on,” Larkin, the Mavericks’ rookie point guard said. “But my dad was a professional, he handled himself in a professional way.

“He was the captain of the team. So I’m sure he just tried to keep his team focused on what the main goal was — to win the World Series — and they just went out there and played hard for their families.”

Schott was banned from MLB from 1996-98 after she said of Adolf Hitler that “everybody knows he was good at the beginning, but he just went too far.” In 1999, Schott sold her ownership stake in the Reds.

TMZ late last week released a taped conversation of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling purportedly making racist comments about African-Americans to his mistress. Mavs star forward Dirk Nowitzki said Sunday that he is disappointed in Sterling’s comments.

“I’m not sure if a guy like that is allowed to own a team in 2014,” Nowitzki said. “But there’s a lot of research, obviously the league’s got to do, [to see] if the tape’s real and all the stuff.

“So there’s not really much more I can say about that. But that’s disappointing hearing that stuff.”

It’s a story familiar to Shane Larkin.

“It’s just a really tough situation knowing that you’re out there playing for [Sterling’s] team, basically, and he feels that type of way about a lot of the people who are just like you,” Shane Larkin said.

“You can’t really think that you’re playing for that person because even though that person is the owner of the team you’re playing for your family, to feed your family, clothe your family, take care of your family for now and down the road.”

(star-telegram.com)

DALLAS — What Shane Larkin accomplished Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets wasn’t eye-popping. But in the eyes of the rookie point guard from Miami, it was a major step toward his maturation with the Dallas Mavericks.

After starting point guard Jose Calderon was out just 45 seconds into the game with a facial injury, Larkin suddenly found himself playing meaningful minutes for the first time in ages. And he didn’t disappoint.

“I like his effort that night,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “I thought he came in the game, he was plenty geeked up and into it.

“He played aggressive in all areas, he had a couple of shots that didn’t go down, but he was in an attacking mode and he used his quickness into the game. When he came in there he knew he was in there and he was making things happen.”

Larkin scored five points, handed out one assist and was 2 of 4 from the field in 13 active minutes. At a time when the Mavs needed his production the most, Larkin answered the bell.

“Jose went down and everybody just told me to be ready and I went in there and played pretty well in the first half,” Larkin said. “Coach Carlisle called some high screen-and-rolls for me and I got some guys some shots and made a couple of layups.”

Larkin, though, knew the extra minutes would be short-lived, especially with Calderon back in the starting lineup Tuesday against Oklahoma City. But that’s life in the NBA as a rookie on a team scrambling for a playoff spot.

“It’s difficult going from playing every game in college, playing 36 minutes a game, to coming here and not playing,” Larkin said. “Before I was playing like 10 minutes, 12 minutes — and not playing — and sometimes getting thrown in for five minutes here, six minutes here.

“It’s tough, but over the year I’ve just gotten the mentality to always stay ready because you never know when your opportunity is going to come. Whenever I do get the opportunity I just want to take full advantage of it and be able to produce, so that’s just the mentally I go in with every game.”


(star-telegram.com)

Shane Larkin played 13 minutes after Jose Calderon left Sunday's game with a facial injury, and Dallas' rookie PG finished with five points and one assist.
Fellow rookie Gal Mekel is still dealing with swelling and pain in his knee, so if Calderon misses any games it will be Devin Harris and Larkin sharing PG duties. Nothing about Larkin's rookie campaign or coach Rick Carlisle's rotations suggests that there's fantasy value to be found here, especially with the Mavs in the midst of a playoff chase.


(rotoworld.com)

Question: Any chance Shane Larkin's time increases and he becomes a major part of the rotation?

At this point, I don't see it happening on a regular basis. Carlisle is going to ride the Ellis/Calderon/Harris backcourt with Vince Carter occasionally in the mix, too. If Larkin plays, it will be as a change of pace. I think Ellington and Crowder play before Larkin, too.

It’s a win-win situation when some of the Mavericks’ young players can drive up the tollway and play a home game for the Texas Legends in Frisco. It helps the D-League team and it helps the players get some needed game-situation work.

Shane Larkin will play Saturday for the Legends against Maine at Dr Pepper Arena as the Mavericks re-assigned him on Friday.

It extends a trend of sending players to the Legends, who obviously get a bump in attention and upgraded play when Mavericks end up on their roster.
Jae Crowder and Bernard James have put in cameo appearances at Frisco as well. Ricky Ledo has been there most of the season.

Larkin has played 42 games for the Mavericks and is averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 assists in 11.1 minutes per contest.

This will be his fourth assignment to the D-League. Larkin has seen action in three Legends’ games and holds averages of 13.3 points, 7.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 35.6 minutes.


(dallasnews.com)

SALT LAKE CITY — He hasn’t given up on this season and all the values of being a professional player it has taught him, but Dallas Mavericks point guard Shane Larkin can’t wait until next season.

Especially after the way things have gone for him this season.

A rookie from Miami, Larkin broke his right ankle in July in the last practice before the the Mavericks left town to play in the Las Vegas Summer League. The injury forced Larkin to not only miss the summer league, but training camp, the preseason and the first 10 games of the regular season.

He’s been playing catch-up ever since.

“Its been a roller-coaster ride from the beginning, missing training camp, missing preseason, not getting the reps, being thrown in, getting a lot of minutes early and then kind of hitting some sort of slump,” Larkin said. “And then getting my minutes taken, and then getting the minutes back and playing 15 minutes a game, and then Devin [Harris] coming back and playing with him and not playing with him, and down to the D-League.”

In order words, Larkin’s head has been on a swivel all season. But he hopes a summer league, a training camp and a preseason will enhance his chances of playing more next season.

“That’s going to be a big thing going into next year, trying to gain the confidence of Dirk [Nowitzki], Monta [Ellis], Vince [Carter], Jose [Calderon] and all those guys, just to prove that last year was an up and down season,” Larkin said. “I didn’t get to play with them in preseason, I didn’t really get chemistry with them.
“And going into next year, that’s going to be the biggest thing — more on the court time with them in practice. That’s something I’m looking forward to.”

Larkin saw meaningful action for the first time in months Tuesday when he played 16 minutes against the Golden State Warriors. He was 0-of-4 from the field and went scoreless, but he did contribute three steals and three assists.

“He was aggressive on defense,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “It’s been awhile since he’s played some meaningful minutes when it’s really counted, so that’s getting his feet back in it.

“Look, this is part of the roller coaster of being a rookie in this league. You could be in it one night and out for three weeks — you got to just stay ready.”

Larkin recently played two games for the D-League’s Texas Legends, which gave him a chance to get some court time and work on his game.

“That was good for me to go down and get a rhythm,” said Larkin, who averages 2.9 points in 11.1 minutes per game. “You can see I’m becoming more and more comfortable down there.

“My last game I had my best stats down there, so I’m getting more comfortable playing with them, and it’s good just to go down there and get some rhythm, and get some playing time.”

Now, if only he can get that on the NBA level. He hopes a full complement of the summer league, training camp and preseason will do the trick.

“Summer league is big for rookies coming in,” Larkin said. “I’m definitely going to go out there this year and prove myself.

“One of the biggest thing is you’ll see a lot of intensity and lot different player than what I think I’ve shown this year.”


(star-telegram.com)

Shane Larkin, Jae Crowder and Bernard James have been assigned to the Texas Legends for Thursday's game.
They're not a significant part of the Mavs' rotation at the moment and the quick trip to the D-League will at least keep them game-ready. All three guys should be recalled on Friday and this doesn't have fantasy implications.


(rotoworld.com)

Mavericks rookie Shane Larkin stepped up in the rotation with Devin Harris (ankle, knee) unavailable Wednesday, dishing out five assists but missing all five of his shot attempts in 23 minutes.

Larkin is making 38.7 percent of his FGs this season and Harris should be ready to go after the break, so there's no reason to adjust expectations in fantasy leagues. The Mavericks won the game anyway, their sixth win in seven games before the All-Star break, and are currently seventh in the West with a two-game lead over ninth-place Memphis.


(rotoworld.com)

Rookies get used to not being “the man” when they get to the NBA, unless they’re lucky enough to get drafted into a situation in which they’re needed to play immediately. 

Midway through his rookie season, Dallas Mavericks first-round pick Shane Larkin has figured out as much.

“You go from being the man [in college] to being on a team with future hall of famers and great veterans who have earned their minutes,” Larkin says. “You have to start at the bottom and earn trust with coaches and players to get consistent minutes.”

A few weeks ago, it looked like Larkin had a breakthrough. An in-game injury to starting point guard Jose Calderon created a spot for Larkin to play against Phoenix on January 17. Larkin played 27 minutes, scored 18 points and dished out five assists.

But, just as quickly, the playing time went away. Calderon returned and Devin Harris — the veteran signed to help give the Mavs another option at point guard — came back from his injury and started siphoning off Larkin’s potential time.

It became so bad that Larkin played 11 total minutes in the final four games of January. That led to the Mavericks sending Larkin to their D-League affiliate in Frisco so he could play a game with the Texas Legends before returning to the Mavs at the beginning of this week. Larkin scored nine points and had six assists in 33 minutes in the contest last Sunday.

Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle characterizes Larkin’s performance as “aggressive” and admitted the team might look for more chances to send Larkin to Frisco for playing time if that doesn’t materialize with the Mavs.

“It’s good to see him develop that attacking mentality,” Carlisle says. “We need that from him, and we need him to keep his speed in the game all the time.”

The points actually don’t matter as much right now to Larkin’s development. Even he admits as much. The Mavs have plenty of players that can fill the basket. His 3-point shot needs to improve. Larkin calls it inconsistent, and Carlisle says that today’s NBA guard has to shoot the three well.

“If you can’t, [defenses] won’t respect you,” Larkin says.

What the Mavs need right now are facilitators, guards that can consistently drive the lane and get the ball to players like Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. That means the Mavs want Larkin in the lane driving, dishing and distributing, not standing passive on the perimeter and deferring to older teammates.

So Larkin didn’t take the assignment to Frisco as a demotion. Rather, he took it as an opportunity to get consistent minutes and work on his game. The fact that Larkin went to Frisco and didn’t try to make every play says as much about what the Mavs want from him as it does about his demeanor on the court.

“[Frisco] has a good team, and I didn’t want to throw them all out of whack by hogging the ball,” Larkin says. “I wanted to fit into what they were doing. We have so many scorers [in Dallas], and if I can get in the lane and kick it out, we’re going to score.”

Larkin’s talent isn’t the issue. The Mavs seem confident that in a couple of years, Larkin has the makeup to be their starting point guard. But right now the drive is to give Nowitzki one more shot at a ring.

For that, owner Mark Cuban and team president Donnie Nelson signed Calderon and Harris this past offseason. Calderon is in Dallas on a four-year deal. Harris is here on a one-year deal. Gal Mekel, another rookie point guard, has a three-year contract.

So the Mavs have options. But to give Dallas the best chance to reach the playoffs, Carlisle is leaning on players like Calderon and Harris, who know the NBA game well. There is less leeway to give a talented rookie like Larkin playing time when the Mavs are on the Western Conference playoff bubble.

Which is why Larkin may find himself in Frisco more often as the season winds down. Carlisle said the Mavs would be strategic in getting Larkin minutes in Frisco when they can.

That may be Larkin’s only shot at immediate playing time due to the logjam in front of him. After Larkin returned from Frisco, he played four minutes in his first two games.

“They sent me there to get my rhythm, and my next practice was great,” Larkin says. “If I’m called upon, I want to get in there and cause problems. I know I can bring a lot of energy.”

The Mavericks are looking for every way possible to let Larkin bring that energy.


(dallas.culturemap.com)

A little over a day after sending point guard Shane Larkin down to play for the Texas Legends of the D-League, the Dallas Mavericks have suddenly recalled the rookie from Miami.

Larkin was sent to play for the Legends after the Mavs' win over Sacramento on Friday night. Larkin played 33 minutes for the Legends on Saturday against Rio Grande Valley and finished with nine points, three rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

He also was 4-of-10 from the field, 1-of-3 on 3-pointers and committed two turnovers.


(star-telegram.com)

PHOENIX—Rookie Shane Larkin, son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, scored a career-high 18 points, including two free throws with 11.1 seconds to play, and the Dallas Mavericks held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Friday night.

The Suns had a last chance to tie it when Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker's try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Monta Ellis scored 24 and Dirk Nowitzki 21 for the Mavericks, who never trailed.

Shawn Marion scored eight of his 16 in the third quarter for Dallas.

Goran Dragic scored 28 points, and Markieff Morris added 23, including 14 in the final quarter, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Morris' twin brother Marcus scored 13 for the Suns, who have lost four of five.

Dallas led 104-94 after Larkin's running 5-footer with 2:53 to go. Markieff Morris' four-point play with 2:30 to go cut it to 103-98, but Nowitzki sank a 20-footer and it was 106-98 with 1:47 to go.

Larkin's two free throws put Dallas ahead 108-101 with 1:19 left, then Dragic led the Suns on a frenzied run.

His driving layup, followed by his 5-footer cut the lead to 108-105 with 14.1 seconds to play. Larkin's two free throws boosted it to 110-105 with 11.1 seconds to go. Dragic scored again inside to trim it to 110-107 with 6.7 seconds remaining, then Carter lost the ball and touched it again while he was trying to inbound it for a turnover giving the Suns one last chance.

Dragic found Tucker for the open jumper, but it rolled around the rim and came out. Television replays showed Tucker's foot was on 3-point line so it would not have tied the game anyway.

Dallas shot out to 23-12 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer and was up 44-34 after Larkin's 3-pointer with 8:22 left in the half.

Phoenix scored the next eight, cutting it to 44-42 on Markieff Morris' length-of-the-court pass to Tucker for a layup. The Suns cut the lead to one three times in quarter, the last at 51-50 on Gerald Green's 3-pointer with 4:03 left in the half. Dallas led 58-56 at the break.

The Suns briefly tied it on Dragic's jumper to start the second half, then Dallas took off again. Marion and Carter each sank a 3 in a 9-2 run that gave the Mavericks their biggest lead, 84-72 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

(denverpost.com)

PHOENIX -- The son of a baseball Hall of Famer had the biggest game of his young pro basketball career, and the Dallas Mavericks probably wouldn't have won without him.

Rookie Shane Larkin, son of Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin, scored a career-high 18 points, half of them in the final quarter, and the Mavericks held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Friday night.

Larkin, the 18th overall draft pick out of Miami, scored six in the last 2:42, capped by a pair of free throws with 11.1 seconds left.

"Sometimes you think as a rookie that you don't want to mess up," he said. "You want to play smart, you don't want to do anything that the coach is uncomfortable (with). Tonight it was, 'Just go play. We need you to play and we need you to play well and do the things that you can do.'"

Larkin was forced into extra duty when starting guard Jose Calderon hurt his knee in the first half.

"It's the most minutes I've played since college," he said.

Larkin made 6 of 8 shots, including two of three 3-pointers and had five assists in 26 1/2 minutes.

"That's why we drafted him," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We felt like he could have this kind of impact."

The Suns had a last chance to tie it when Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker's try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Monta Ellis scored 24 and Dirk Nowitzki 21 for the Mavericks, who never trailed. Shawn Marion scored eight of his 16 in the third quarter for Dallas.
Goran Dragic scored 28 points, and Markieff Morris added 23, including 14 in the final quarter, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Dallas led 104-94 after Larkin's running 5-footer with 2:53 to go. Markieff Morris' four-point play with 2:30 to go cut it to 103-98, but Nowitzki sank a 20-footer and it was 106-98 with 1:47 to go.

Larkin's two free throws put Dallas ahead 108-101 with 1:19 left, then Dragic led the Suns on a frenzied run.

His driving layup, followed by his 5-footer cut the lead to 108-105 with 14.1 seconds to play. Larkin's two free throws boosted it to 110-105 with 11.1 seconds to go. Dragic scored again inside to trim it to 110-107 with 6.7 seconds remaining, then Carter lost the ball and touched it again while he was trying to inbound it for a turnover giving the Suns one last chance.


(espn.com)

Mavericks rookie Shane Larkin wasn't very concerned after spraining his ankle on Saturday, and he's hopeful to play vs. the Magic on Monday.
"It's just a sprain," Larkin said. "I'll come in and get treatment [Sunday] and hopefully will be good after that." Gal Mekel will step into the backup PG job if Larkin can't suit up, and both rookies face an impending challenge with Devin Harris (toe) targeting a return within the next two weeks.


(rotoworld.com)

DALLAS — That cushion afforded most players when they enter the NBA hasn’t applied to Shane Larkin.

That’s because the rookie point guard from Miami fractured his right ankle on the day the Mavs were slated to leave for Las Vegas to play in the summer league.

In addition to missing summer league play, after surgery Larkin also missed the Mavs’ training camp, the eight preseason games and the first 10 games of the regular season.

“That put me a little bit behind, but I’m catching on, making my reads here and there,” Larkin said. “The best thing about summer league and the preseason is that’s when you get to go out there and you just get to play and make your mistakes and get all of your mistakes out of the way and just learn, and learn by playing.”

Larkin is averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 assists in 12.6 minutes per game while splitting backup playing time behind Jose Calderon and rookie Gal Mekel.

Coach Rick Carlisle likes the effort and speed that Larkin has given, but admits that catching up has been difficult.

“How do you make up for four months of NBA activity and eight exhibition games and five or six summer league games?” Carlisle asked. “But all things considered he’s made great progress, he’s working hard.”

What Larkin would like to do on a regular basis is get in the lane and create havoc.

He was able to do some of that Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers when he scored six of his eight points in the fourth quarter.

“A big part of my game is getting into the lane and creating for others,” Larkin said. “It’s just that I haven’t had the opportunity to make the mistakes to get them out of the way.

“Coach has given me the opportunity by playing me and telling me to get into the lane. But it’s just I know that I don’t want to go in there and mess up and maybe be pulled, and maybe not.”


(star-telegram.com)

Rookie Shane Larkin entered Wednesday’s game with 1:40 left in the first quarter and played solidly, contributing a first-half assist, drawing a charge and, more important, committing no turnovers in five minutes.

After two straight games in which he didn’t play, Larkin has earned playing time in the last three games because, according to Carlisle, he’s practiced well and provided energy when he enters games.

After fracturing his right ankle in the summer, Larkin didn’t play in his first game until Nov. 18. News that Devin Harris’ return from a foot injury has been delayed, it puts the onus on backup point guards Larkin and Gal Mekel to contribute quality minutes.

“He’s behind the curve because he got such a late start,” Carlisle said of Larkin. “He’s cramming for an exam. It’s kind of like that.”


(dallasnews.com)

ATLANTA — Years from now when point guard Shane Larkin hangs up his basketball sneakers, he’ll likely remember a game-changing moment that occurred Monday against the Denver Nuggets.

The Dallas Mavericks were getting hammered at the time 108-95. And with only 1:41 remaining, coach Rick Carlisle instructed Larkin and four other reserves to go into the game for mop-up duty, aka garbage time.

Garbage time was foreign territory for Larkin — a rookie from Miami who was the co-Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the year last season and the 18th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. In college, Larkin was a polished second-team All-American who knew garbage time was reserved for the lesser-talented players.

But in the NBA, Larkin quickly learned a valuable lesson.

“That was different to me to be thrown in there when we’re down [13] points and for the other team not to be playing hard, and you really have no chance to win,” Larkin said. “I had never really played in those types of minutes before.”

He has now.

Earlier in the game against Denver, Larkin played 2 minutes, 37 seconds of uneventful basketball, scored no points, had no assists and turned the ball over once while going 0 of 1 from the field. In other words, he was a nonfactor who brought absolutely nothing to the table, and his pride took a hit afterward.

The punishment?

Garbage time.

Larkin responded to the garbage time Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors when he collected seven points, six assists, two rebounds, one steal and no turnovers in 17 minutes. He, in essence, was one of the sparks off the bench who helped the Mavericks take down the highly touted Warriors 103-99.

“He played great,” Carlisle said. “He made a lot of things happen on offense, and defensively he was a factor coming up with loose ball plays.

“He didn’t play well [Monday] night and he got pulled and Gal [Mekel] went in and he did a good job. [Wednesday,] I decided to go with Shane again and see how he would respond and he responded well.”

The speedy Larkin was motivated by his garbage-time appearance.

“It didn’t upset me, it proved a point to me,” he said, “Like, ‘If you’re not going to be aggressive, why are you here, why do we need you?’

“So I just had to go back in there and be aggressive and get back to what I was doing in college. That’s why they brought me here.”

Larkin has been playing catch-up ever since he fractured his right ankle on July 5 and underwent successful surgery on July 16. But he missed summer league, training camp and the first 10 games of the regular season before playing his first game Nov. 18 against Philadelphia.

“You’ve got to think this is kind of like a training camp for him because he missed that,” forward Vince Carter said. “So we’re bringing him along in the fire.
“It’s a lot thrown at him at one time, but I think he’s really taken the time to learn what’s asked of him. And you can just tell each and every game, each and every quarter, he’s getting comfortable at the position.”

As the Mavericks (10-6) prepare to play the Atlanta Hawks (8-8) at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Philips Arena, they do so knowing Larkin received that subtle message from Carlisle loud and clear.

“I’ve just got to get back to being the player I was in college, being aggressive all the time, looking to get into the lane, and if I have the floater, take the floater,” Larkin said. “And if I have the pass, make the pass.

“I played four minutes [against Denver] — two minutes in garbage time when we were getting blown out. That motivated me to come here [Wednesday] and just be extra aggressive.”


(star-telegram.com)

DALLAS --It's only been two games, but the reviews on Dallas Mavericks rookie point guard Shane Larkin have been positive.

In his two games since returning from right ankle surgery, Larkin has 11 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals in 25 minutes and 23 seconds. He also is 4-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range.

"His quickness helps us,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "Defensively, he's done some good things.

"But we’re early in the process and there’s a long way to go. But he's done some positive things to this point and we just need him to keep working and getting better.''


(star-telegram.com)

DALLAS -- When he entered Monday's game against Philadelphia for the first time as an NBA player, Dallas Mavericks rookie point guard Shane Larkin admits he was a bit nervous.

He also admits he thought coach Rick Carlisle was testing his mettle.

"When coach called me in that first quarter I had butterflies,' Larkin said. "But I think that was kind of like a test from coach to see if I was ready, to see if I was going to go inside of my shell and be scared and go out there and play scary, or if I was going to step up to the challenge and go out there and try to prove myself.

"I think I did a good job of going out there. I got a steal, went to the free throw line and he kept me in there at the beginning of the second quarter, so that was great. It was a great feeling and it was just a great night.''

Larkin finished the game with three points, three assists and three steals in only nine minutes. It was his first game after recovering from July 16 surgery on his fractured right ankle.


(star-telegram.com)

DALLAS -- Rookie point guard Shane Larkin waited a long time before he got to play in his first NBA game. But it was well worth the wait.

In his first game with the Dallas Mavericks, Larkin contributed three points, three assists and three steals Monday in just nine minutes to help the Mavs squeeze by the Philadelphia 76ers, 97-94, before a sellout crowd of 19,790 at American Airlines Center.

Larkin had been sidelined since fracturing his right ankle during a July 5th practice session on the day the Mavs left town to participate in the Las Vegas summer league. Larkin underwent surgery on July 16 and had been working out vigoriously while waiting to get in a game.

The 18th overall pick in this past June's NBA Draft finally got his chance against the Sixers. And it was especially sweet for Larkin, whose parents -- including baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin -- were in town for the game.

"It was a great moment in my life and a great moment that I've been waiting my whole life for and working my whole life for,'' Larkin said. "To step on the court and hear the crowd cheering for you like they've been waiting for this moment is a great feeling.

"My teammates really helped me out there. Sometimes I didn't really know where I was going or what I was doing, and Vince (Carter) talked to me and Dirk (Nowitzki) talked to me and tried to calm me down and keep me poised out there.''

Those talks apparently worked, because Larkin looked like he had been playing with the Mavs for a few games.

"I thought he did very well considering it was his first live action in a real game,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've had a tough 10 days to try and get him ready because we haven't had a lot of practice time.

"He's been doing really hard workouts with two or three other guys, and we've simulated game situations, tempo as best as we could, but it's not quite the same. This is the beginning of a process, but I like what he did.''


(star-telegram.com)

Mavericks rookie guard Shane Larkin is finally almost ready to play his first NBA game.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Shane Larkin is nearing a return to the court. The rookie broke his ankle in July practicing with Dallas' summer league team and had to have surgery. He missed summer league, didn't participate in training camp and finally returned to practice with the Mavericks two weeks ago. Larkin told Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com that he is getting closer to appearing in a professional game:

"It may be today. It may be on Wednesday. Maybe Friday. I've just got to talk to the trainer. Whenever they give me the OK is when I'll go," Larkin explained. "I feel good. After the first practice it was sore, but I've practiced a couple of times since then, so my ankle is getting back to the pounding. I'm feeling good.

"I'm really anxious. It's been a long time coming. It's been my life-long dream just to play in the NBA. I'm here now practicing. Now, the next step is to play in an NBA game."

The No. 18 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft will likely be integrated slowly. Fellow rookie Gal Mekel has been handling backup duty behind Jose Caldeon and Larkin understands that playing time won't just be handed to him, as told to Sneed in a video interview:

"I have to earn everything that I'm given," Larkin said. "But I'm really anxious to get out there. I would like to be in the rotation already but I'll be coming off an injury, Gal's been playing well, so it's just a matter of me getting out there and whenever I get time, whether it's at the end of the game, middle of the game, two minutes here, a minute there, I just gotta go out there and be solid."

Dallas will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Seven of the Mavericks' next nine games are at home they are 4-0 at American Airlines Center so far this season.


(philly.com)

Shane Larkin will be heading home this weekend. Home to Miami, where he went to college. And home to Orlando, where he grew up.

What the Dallas Mavericks’ rookie point guard won’t be doing is suiting up for the Mavericks. But that day is not far off, he said Wednesday.

Fate – in the form of a broken ankle – has delayed the start to his NBA career. But Larkin has a game plan now for getting it under way. Asked if he had a target date yet for his first game, Larkin said: “Um, my target and their (the Mavericks&rsquo target are probably different. We got a couple practices next week. I would like to play the 20th against Houston. That’s when I’d like to play.”

Whether it’s then or Nov. 22 against Utah or sometime thereafter, it’s coming soon. And though Larkin has only gone through a couple of full practice sessions since getting clearance to do as much as he can handle on his surgically repaired right ankle, he’s already done enough to catch at least one person’s eye.

Dirk Nowitzki said he can already see signs of why the Mavericks acquired Larkin, who was the 18th overall pick in the June draft.\

“It (our depth) is only going to get better when we get Shane back,” Nowitzki said. “His speed is fun to watch in practice. He’s so quick off the dribble, pushing the ball. I think he’s going to help us tremendously in the backcourt.”

Larkin figures to ease the burden on rookie Gal Mekel, who along with Wayne Ellington are the only healthy backup options in the backcourt right now. Any injury would leave the Mavericks in a bind.


(dallasnews.com)mai

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks first-round pick Shane Larkin practiced Monday for the first time since breaking his right ankle this summer.

Larkin, a point guard out of Miami who was selected with the 18th overall pick, needed surgery after breaking the ankle in the Mavs' summer league team's final practice before leaving for Las Vegas.

There isn't a firm timetable for when Larkin will start playing games.

"I felt good out there," Larkin said. "I don't have my quickness back yet, but that'll come in the next couple of practices. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks -- a week, week and a half, I'll be back being able to play."

Once Larkin is cleared to play, he will compete with fellow rookie Gal Mekel for backup point guard minutes behind Jose Calderon.

Mekel, a 25-year-old Israel native, has averaged 4.3 points, 3.3 assists and 13.3 minutes in the Mavs' first three games. Veteran Devin Harris, who is recovering from toe surgery, still hasn't been cleared for any on-court work.

The 5-foot-11, 176-pound Larkin, the ACC player of the year last season and son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, reminds the front office of former Mavs point guard J.J. Barea, a sparkplug whose prowess as a pick-and-roll ballhandler was a key component to Dallas' 2011 championship run.

The surgery on Larkin was performed July 16. He had hoped to be cleared by the beginning of training camp, but the Mavs took a cautious approach with the rookie, who called the process "frustrating."

"It's a step," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Larkin's first practice. "He's picking things up. For the first day of live practice, he did well."


(espn.com)

Rookie point guard Shane Larkin has begun doing lateral footwork to strengthen his surgically repaired right ankle.

He still isn’t ready to begin practicing, but that day is getting closer, he said.

“I feel good,” he said. “We’re just taking it slow and being extra careful. I really don’t know. I’m just listening to the trainer and the doctor. Whatever they tell me to do, I do. I’ve been progressing well so I’m going to keep doing what they tell me and hopefully I can get out there soon enough.”

Larkin and Devin Harris (left big toe surgery) will not be available early in the season, which will test the Mavericks’ depth at point guard.

“As the regular season comes along, I’m getting more and more antsy,” Larkin said. “I just have to be patient. I’d much rather miss this than go out there early and mess something else up and miss more time.”

Larkin said it’s almost like starting from scratch with his ankle strength.

“I’m trying to get my lateral quickness and my lateral strength back in my leg,” he said. “You don’t really know how much your body gets out of it when you’re out for three months. I was doing some of the drills and my feet weren’t with me. I tripped a couple times. Just getting everything back together again is tough.”


(dallasnews.com)

Shane Larkin
Age: 21 | Position: PG | Salary: $1,536,960

Role for Mavs in 2013-14: Larkin will compete with fellow rookie Gal Mekel for minutes as the Mavs’ third point guard. Mekel has a head start since Larkin has yet to be cleared to practice with the team.

It’s possible that Larkin could spend much of his time playing for the Texas Legends, the Mavs’ D-League affiliate. The Dallas brass must determine whether Larkin would benefit more from starting in the D-League or getting limited minutes in the NBA. He can make that an easy decision by proving he’s ready to make a significant contribution as a rookie.

What happened this summer?: After twice trading down, the Mavs selected Larkin with the 18th overall pick in the draft. Larkin suffered a broken ankle in the Mavs summer league team’s final practice before leaving for Las Vegas, an injury that required surgery to repair. The Mavs hope he will be fully cleared by the beginning of the regular season, but there’s no doubt that the injury has delayed his development.

What does the future hold?: Coach Rick Carlisle has compared Larkin to J.J. Barea, the pick-and-roll-running sparkplug who played a critical role as a part-time starter on the Mavs’ 2011 title team. Larkin, who has elite speed, quickness and leaping ability, aims a little higher. He compares himself to Denver’s Ty Lawson, another sub-6-foot point guard who was an ACC player of the year. Lawson has established himself as one of the West’s best point guards, and Larkin believes he has that type of potential. He’s under contract with the Mavs for four seasons, the last two of which are team options.

Bottom line: Larkin will get his chance to prove he can play a key role, but the rookie might have to be patient.


(espn.com)

DALLAS — Less than five months after he was drafted, Orlandoan Shane Larkin already faces one of the toughest challenges for a professional athlete: remaining patient after a significant injury.

Larkin, a point guard who attended Dr. Phillips High and the University of Miami, fractured his right ankle during a practice in July, just hours before the Dallas Mavericks' NBA Summer League team left for Las Vegas.

Larkin needed surgery to have two screws inserted into his ankle, and he's sat out the Mavericks' preseason games, including Monday night's matchup against the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Center.

"Yeah, it's frustrating," Larkin said. "But, at the same time, it's a learning experience. If you're going to play basketball, you're going to have an injury. It's much better that it happened when it did because I won't miss too much of the season. If it would've happened in-season, I would've missed probably the rest of it. I've just got to work twice as hard as I did to get here.

"It's not a good thing, but at the same time, you've got to get positives out of it."

Larkin played two seasons at Miami, and in May he posted some of the top physical-testing scores at the 2013 NBA Combine in Chicago. The Atlanta Hawks selected him 18th overall and then sent him to the Mavs in a draft-night trade.

Larkin overcame an injury before. He said he fractured the same ankle, in a different place, as a high school freshman. But he also said his ankle became stronger after he rehabilitated it.

Larkin, 21, hasn't been able to practice since July.

He said Mavericks coaches constantly ask him questions to test him on what he sees during practices. With all that quizzing, the team hopes to reduce his learning curve for when he's finally healthy.

"I know all the plays," Larkin said. "I know all the defensive coverages that we're going to be using. I'm mentally there. When I get on the court, when I have to react and still know the plays, that's when it's really going to be telling."


(orlandosentinel.com)

DALLAS -- The last time rookie point guard Shane Larkin attempted to go through a full practice with the Dallas Mavericks was July 5 -- the day they left town to travel to Las Vegas to participate in the summer league.

Unfortunately for Larkin, a few hours before the Mavs departed for Vegas, he fractured his right ankle in that practice session. Larkin subsequently underwent successful surgery on July 16 and was slated to be sidelined for approximately three months, which is Wednesday.

Coach Rick Carlisle said Friday that Larkin is doing a little more work in practice.

"But he's not doing anything with the team on the court other than stretching and some shooting,'' Carlisle said. "He’s doing some running on the treadmill, so that’s a good sign.

"And he's making progress. He's had no setbacks, so that’s good.''

Carlisle isn't sure if Larkin will return to full workouts next week. He isn't even sure if the No. 18th overall pick of this past June's NBA Draft will be able to play in any of the remaining six preseason games.

When asked if Larkin would be ready to play in any preseason games, Carlisle said: "Just purely on my gut opinion, my non-educated medical opinion, I would say doubtful. But who knows.

"We’ll see how Mother Nature treats us. She’s not been returning my text messages.''


(star-telegram.com)

Shane Larkin stopped for an interview in between photo shoots and recording TV promos at Mavericks media day on Monday.

He didn’t get more than 30 seconds in before fellow rookie Ricky Ledo interrupted. The two have become fast friends in their short time with the Mavericks, so much so that it led to questions about whether the two had known each other before hand.

They hadn’t, but the two are just a year apart in age. Larkin remembered Ledo as one of the top high school prospects.

“He was a big time guy, a top 10 recruit,” Larkin said. “He was supposed to be here. I wasn’t ranked and all that. I wasn’t supposed to be here.”
Larkin still remembers his rankings: 72nd overall on Rivals.com and outside of the top 100 on ESPN.

“I paid a lot of attention to it,” Larkin said. “On ESPN I was ranked, and then some guy went there and he didn’t think I was a good player and I dropped like 40 spots. … Now I just go back and laugh at it. I was the 28th-ranked point guard (ESPN actually ranked him 26th) in my high school class. Then in the 2013 NBA draft I was the fourth point guard taken.

“It’s just a testament to hard work. Recruiting guys don’t always know what they’re talking about. They said I was too small, not fast enough, wasn’t strong enough. Now I’m here.”

Larkin still has a long journey to take in order to play in his first NBA game though, after breaking his ankle during practice this summer. He said the ankle caved as he tried to jump for an easy score after a steal in practice.

“It was real tough at first because you want to play in the summer league,” Larkin said. “You want to get your name out there, you want to show all the Mavs fans, the whole organization that they didn’t waste the 18th pick.”

He originally expected to miss five to six months, but after electing to stay in Dallas during the summer to rehab, he said he’s ahead of schedule.
The beginning of training camp is out of the question for Larkin, as is the first couple of preseason games, but he feels confident in a return before the first regular season game.

The stay during the summer has helped Larkin, but he knows he’ll miss some of the chemistry that comes with playing with his teammates during training camp and in those preseason games.

“Once you get out on the court it’s different,” Larkin said. “It’s going to hard to learn how they play, but it’s not really hard to play with Dirk. Get him the ball when he’s open.”


(dallasnews.com

DALLAS -- From high school to college, Shane Larkin always had to prove he was big enough, wise enough and talented enough to play basketball.
Now the Dallas Mavericks' rookie point guard has to prove himself -- again.

Drafted No. 18 overall out of Miami this past June, Larkin was all set to strut his stuff when the Mavs traveled to Las Vegas in July for summer league play. But on the day the Mavs were slated to leave for Vegas, Larkin unfortunately fractured his right ankle during a practice session at American Airlines Center.
Larkin underwent successful surgery on July 16 and was slated to be sidelined for approximately three months.

On Monday, the day before the Mavs opened training camp, Larkin said of his return: "It’s looking like I should be good to return in the middle of training camp, so we’ll just see what happens. There’s no positive (return) date, so we’ll see what happens.''

Whenever Larkin returns, the 5-11, 176-pounder knows he'll have to show he has the right stuff to perform at this level. Still, he can't help but recall the day he broke his ankle.

"Initially they thought it was just a high ankle sprain or a sprain,'' Larkin said. "To find out it was broken it was like you finally accomplish your dream, you finally make it to the NBA, you finally have that chance to prove yourself once again and you break your ankle.

"But it's just more of a bigger chip on my shoulder, more to prove. People wrote me off, people forgot about me, I have no chance, so back to square one, back to where I started out.''


(star-telegram.com)

NEWS UPDATE
Larkin (ankle) is expected to be ready for the beginning of the Mavericks' training camp, the Associated Press reports.

ROTOWIRE FANTASY ANALYSIS
Larkin suffered a broken right ankle in July and was expected to miss 2-3 months, putting his recovery right on schedule. The Mavs have Jose Calderon at point guard as well as Devin Harris, who is expected to be out until late December with a toe injury. With a strong showing in training camp and the preseason, Larkin could take the backup point guard job heading into the regular season.


(rotowire.com)

The NBA is about competition on the floor, but it’s also about dollars and cents. Teams now must find players who can outperform deals they’re signed to and use them as assets on the floor or as assets to flip in order to acquire a game-changing piece. ESPNDallas.com will grade how the Dallas Mavericks fared in terms of contracts of their new acquisitions.

Shane Larkin: Signed to a four-year, $7,395,002 contract. Larkin will be paid $1,536,960 in 2013-14.

The rookie guard signed to 120 percent of the rookie scale deal this season. Players drafted in the first round have to be signed to within 80 percent to 120 percent of the salaries based on the slot in which they were drafted. Dallas has contractual rights to Larkin up to the next four years.

While fellow rookie Gal Mekel provides more control and facilitating from the point guard position, Larkin presents more dynamic scoring potential and the ability to stop on a dime off a pick-and-roll situation and pull up for a jumper.

A fractured ankle prior to the Las Vegas Summer League derailed Larkin’s adjustment period into the NBA. It’s a speed bump, but it likely won’t take away from his outlook on the big picture.


(espn.com)

Shane Larkin had ankle surgery Tuesday, and while it’s a big setback for the rookie, it could have been worse for him and the Mavericks.

With a stable of guards, led by Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon, both of whom are expected to sign their free-agent deals soon, the Mavericks have depth in the backcourt.

They also are going to have Devin Harris and Wayne Ellington, both of whom are expected to be rotation players, although Harris’ toe injury may keep him out of the early portion of training camp and perhaps the start of the regular season.

In addition, they have Ricky Ledo, a rookie shooting guard, along with Vince Carter, who can play both wing positions.

So Larkin’s ankle fracture suffered Friday means he will be lost until at least the middle of training camp and possibly for the start of the regular season.

But the Mavericks have the luxury of giving him time to get back to 100 percent. And it’s not always a negative for a rookie to be looking at a 60-game season instead of an 82-game season.

“A significant injury is never a good thing,” coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday. “But I’d rather this happen in July than October.

“He has time to recover. And it’s fortunate that we have depth at the position. I really loved him in the draft. I thought he was the best all-around guard in the draft.”


(dallasnews.com)

DALLAS -- Mavericks rookie guard Shane Larkin has undergone surgery to repair his broken right ankle.

The team says Drs. T.O. Souryal and Richard Levy performed the surgery at Texas Sports Medicine in Dallas on Tuesday. Recovery time is expected to be about three months.

The former Miami point guard was the 18th pick in last month's draft. He was injured Friday in the last practice before the team flew to Las Vegas for summer league games.

The son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin is expected to battle for the backup job behind Jose Calderon, who signed with Dallas as a free agent.


(espn.com)

Shane Larkin suffered a broken right ankle during practice on Friday and could miss the next 2-3 months.

He'll need surgery to repair the fracture. Larkin was all set to make a first impression in Las Vegas Summer League and will miss the entire 11-day event. If he misses three months, he'll be be doubtful for the start of training camp and could miss some preseason action. It's a tough way to start his career and Gal Mekel will have even more minutes in Vegas. Although, the addition of Monta Ellis limits the upside of both Larkin and Mekel.


(rotoworld.com)

The Mavericks’ summer-league team will convene on Wednesday and first-round draftee Shane Larkin will be working out with the group that will head to Las Vegas Saturday for the NBA Summer League.

Larkin, however, likely will not be under contract when he begins working out.

Because the Mavericks need to conserve all available salary-cap space, they can’t afford to take care of the formality of signing Larkin to his rookie-scale deal without subtracting it from their available cap space.

It’s all about timing for the Mavericks. When it’s right, they will sign Larkin.

This is not unusual. He no doubt has insurance to guard against a worst-case scenario. Larkin will be signed as soon as the Mavericks get decisions from their free-agent targets, including Andrew Bynum.

Meanwhile, it’s possible that their search for a viable center might move from a free-agent signing to a trade. With cap space to spare, the mavericks can take on money via a trade if a team wants to get off one of their contracts. Omer Asik comes to mind, although Houston has maintained it will not ship out the backup to Dwight Howard.


(dallasnews.com)

The Dallas Mavericks announced their roster for the 2013 NBA summer league Monday, headlined by 2013 draft picks Shane Larkin and Ricky Ledo, who will join returning Mavericks Jae Crowder, Bernard James and Josh Akognon for a five-game slate played in Las Vegas from July 13-22.

Dallas will open the preliminary round with back-to-back games against the Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Bobcats on July 13 and 14. The Mavericks will then face the NBA D-League Select Team on July 16 before being seeded in a tournament running through the championship game July 22. Each team is guaranteed to play at least five games.

All games will be held at the COX Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. NBA TV will broadcast the Mavericks’ matchup with the Kings on July 13 and Dallas’ game against the Bobcats on July 14.

Mavericks assistant coach Monte Mathis will serve as the head coach of the summer league team for the fourth year. Before the team makes the trip to Las Vegas, a minicamp will be held at American Airlines Center in Dallas from July 9-12.


(espn.com)

Shane Larkin has been a Dallas Maverick for exactly one week, and though he has not yet stepped on the court, he already showed his new employer flashes of the self-confidence, maturity and insatiable hunger that have helped him compensate for his lack of height his entire career.

He made his first bold statement by showing up at the draft ceremony in a turquoise polka-dotted bow tie.

The 5-11 former University of Miami point guard, who was selected No. 18 in the draft last Thursday, then told reporters on a conference call that although he realizes he may have to play behind a seasoned veteran and “learn the ropes,” his goals include making the league All-Rookie team and earning a starting job.

He also displayed his take-charge attitude by offering to be “the leading spokesman for the Dwight (Howard)-to-Dallas campaign.” Larkin was a fan of Howard’s growing up in Orlando, and said it would be dream come true to play alongside one of his boyhood idols and Dirk Nowitzki.

Skeptics say Larkin’s size make him a likely backup. He, as always, is aiming higher.

“I mean, based on my size coming out of high school, they said I couldn’t play D-I basketball,” Larkin said. “I couldn’t play basketball in high school, I definitely couldn’t play in the ACC, I wasn’t going to be successful, all this type of stuff, and I’ve never let any of that make me feel less confident about my abilities and never really let it get to me.

“I’ve always used that as motivation to be better, so if people are saying now that I can’t be a starter or I can’t be a successful player in the NBA, I’m going to use that as motivation to go out there and play harder and work on my game, so that eventually I can quiet those doubters as well as I’ve quieted everybody else so far.”

The Mavs are revamping their point guard rotation and looking to go back to the pick-and-roll success they had during their 2011 NBA Championship run. Coach Rick Carlisle and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson see Larkin as a J.J. Berea-type player, an undersized speedy guard who can create and shoot off the dribble, get to the rim, and get other guys involved.

They did not re-sign last season’s point guards Darren Collison and Rodrigue Beaubois, letting them go as unrestricted free agents. They got Larkin through the draft, and on Tuesday signed 6-3 Israeli Gal Mekel to a guaranteed three-year deal. Dallas is said to be shopping for a veteran starting point guard. In the meantime, Larkin and Mekel will compete for playing time.

Mekel, a 25-year-old who played two years at Wichita State, averaged 13.3 points and 5.4 assists last season for Maccabi Haifa and led the team to the Israel Super League title. He improved his game under Haifa coach Brad Greenberg, the former Philadelphia 76ers general manager and Portland director of player personnel.

Larkin welcomes the competition, is eager to report to training camp this weekend and play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas July 12-22.

“I’m a competitor at heart, and I like to compete,” he said. “I’m going to go into training camp and compete for the starting spot. If they happen to bring in a veteran who outplays me, then hopefully he can mentor me and show me the ropes.”

His immediate goal is to learn and earn playing time.

“Of course you want to be on the All-Rookie Team and Rookie of the Year. I’ve always set high goals for myself, because I want to reach for the top, so those are things I would like to accomplish, but first I’ve got to get on the court,” Larkin said. “So, I’ve got to go in there in training camp and summer league and at the beginning of the season and prove my worth. That’s really what I’m focused on, just going in and working hard and doing whatever the coach asks of me.”

Playing in the ACC and winning the conference tournament gives Larkin the confidence to compete against NBA players, he said.

“Hopefully, I can play well enough where I can force the coach’s hand to whereas I may get significant minutes or even be a starter as a rookie,” he said. I’m just going to keep on working until I’m one of the best players and I’m the best player I can be.”

He envisions himself becoming like Ty Lawson. “He’s the type of player who can impact the game. He’s a little stockier than I am but I feel that’s the impact I can have.”

Carlisle and Nelson have high hopes.

“I don’t think he and Barea are exact duplicates, but we’ve missed the last couple of years the element that Barea brought to the game here,” Carlisle said. “Being able to get to the rim, being able to get it going from three, the resourcefulness and some of those types of things. Shane’s going to bring some of those types of things.”

Added Nelson: “[Larkin] comes in with that kind of a punch. He’s able to get by the best of them. He’s about as quick as it gets. His ability to shoot the long ball and create, especially the way the game is played nowadays, is just really, really important.”


(miamiherald.com)

Shane Larkin wants to lead the public relations campaign to bring free agent center Dwight Howard to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Miami point guard said Monday he hasn't quite figured out the sales pitch. He just knows this: He'd love to run the pick and roll with one of his favorite players growing up in Orlando as the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin.

There's one tricky part. The Mavericks liked Larkin enough at No. 18 in the draft to quit trading down in their quest to clear salary cap space for a run at Howard. But they might have to deal Larkin to lure Howard from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Larkin says he wants to be in Dallas but understands "the NBA's a business."


(foxnews.com)mai

DALLAS -- Shane Larkin has set aside some lofty goals he hopes to obtain in his rookie NBA season.

"I just got to get playing time,'' the Dallas Mavericks' first-year point guard said. "That’s my goal, to get on the court and produce for my team.

"Of course you want to be on the all-rookie team, Rookie of the Year. I’ve always set high goals for myself because I want to reach for the top. Those are things I would like to accomplish, but first I’ve got to get on the court.''

And to get on the court and earn more meaningful minutes, Larkin knows he first has to put in a lot of hard work, learn the playbook, and just go out and flawlessly execute things on the floor.

"I’ve got to go in there at training camp, summer league at the beginning, and prove my worth,'' Larkin said. "So that’s really what I’m really focused on -- just go in there and work hard and do whatever the coach asks of me and just work hard and try to earn playing time.''


(star-telegram.com)

When he figured out that basketball was his calling and not baseball, which had been his father’s avenue to a Hall of Fame sports career, Shane Larkin knew he’d have to overcome a lot.

Like being little.

At 5-11, he’s heard it all. And he already has heard it since being the Mavericks’ first-round acquisition last week, having been chosen 18th overall. He’s already being plugged in as a backup point guard.

And that’s fine. But it’s not what Larkin, who played at Miami (Fla.), has in mind.

“Coming out of high school, everybody said I couldn’t play D-1 [Division 1] ball and I wouldn’t be able to play in the ACC,” Larkin said Monday. “I never let that make me any less confident.

“People are saying I can’t be a starter in the NBA, but I’ve quieted everybody so far.”

Larkin, the son of baseball great Barry Larkin, said his father never pushed him toward baseball, although Shane Larkin said “deep down, he was probably a little disappointed, but his main goal was just to be a dad and be supportive.”

He did get coaxed into football “to make me tougher.” But once he figured out that he had the quickness to be a force on the basketball court, Larkin never looked back. And while he’s grateful for the comparisons to former Maverick J.J. Barea, he sees another NBA player as being more like him.

“I would say that player is Ty Lawson,” he said. “He’s the type of player who can impact the game. He’s a little bulkier than me, but we’re very similar athletically and I feel that’s the impact I can have.”

And, of course, Lawson is a starter in Denver.


(dallasnews.com)

The Dallas Mavericks, having traded down twice, drafted former Miami Hurricanes’ PG Shane Larkin with the 18th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Having been technically drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 16th pick, Larkin will become a Maverick once the swap becomes official.

While at UM, Larkin averaged 14.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 4.6 apg.  The 5-11, 176-pound guard was the 2012-13 ACC Player of the Year (Coaches, Sports Illustrated, ESPN), All-ACC First Team (ASCMA, Coaches, ESPN), All-ACC Defensive Team (ASCMA, Coaches) and ACC Tournament MVP.

According to ESPN, the Mavs intend to keep Larkin for now, but should they need to create cap space for Dwight Howard, Larkin could be traded in July.
Former UM PF Kenny Kadji was picked up on Friday by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent.

Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga told CaneSport, “Kenny will impress a lot of scouts with his size, shooting ability and overall athleticism.  I am confident he will be in the NBA this season.”

In his senior year, Kadji averaged 12.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 0.8 assists.

He was voted Second Team All-ACC.


(caneswarning.com)

Shane Larkin appreciates being compared to a former Mavericks fan favorite, but with all due respect to J.J. Barea, the first-round pick is setting his sights a bit higher.

No, that’s not a short joke, although their sub-six-foot stature is one reason for the Barea-Larkin comparison.

It’s just that Larkin strives to be an NBA starter. That’s why he prefers to compare himself to another vertically challenged NBA point guard.

“I see myself as a Ty Lawson type,” Larkin said during a conference call with Dallas reporters. “Just somebody that can go out there every night and make an impact with my speed and quickness.”

Larkin’s career path is pretty similar to Lawson’s to this point. Lawson was the ACC player of the year as a junior at North Carolina before being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2009 draft. Larkin was the ACC player of the year as a sophomore at Miami before being selected No. 18 last week.

The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Lawson is thicker than the 5-foot-11, 171-pound Larkin, but Larkin is quicker and more explosive. Larkin has data from the draft combine to prove it, noting that he tested better than Lawson.

The proof:

*Larkin had a 44-inch vertical max vertical, the best combine measurement in DraftExpress.com’s database. Lawson leaped 36.5 inches as a draft prospect.

*Larkin was timed in the three-quarters-court sprint at 3.08 seconds, the fastest at this year’s combine. Lawson’s time: 3.12.

*Larkin’s time in the lane agility test was 10.64, the sixth-best at this year’s combine. Lawson was timed at 10.98 in 2009.

None of that guarantees that Larkin can be an NBA starter or even a rotation player, but his athleticism, pick-and-roll pedigree and perimeter shooting ability are among the reasons that the little guy thinks big. There’s also a healthy chip on the shoulder of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin’s son, who enjoyed hushing those who didn’t think he could play Division I basketball, much less star in the ACC.

"People are saying now that I can't be a starter, I can't be a successful player in the NBA,” Larkin said. “I'm just going to use that as motivation."

Larkin’s immediate goals aren’t too large, though. He simply wants to earn playing time and be productive as a rookie.

It’s a pretty good plan to continue following a similar path to the one traveled by Lawson, who primarily came off the Denver bench during his first two NBA seasons before emerging as one of the West’s better starting point guards the last two years.

That’s what Larkin is aiming for. If he ends up being the next Barea, that’s not bad, either.


(espn.com)

The Mavericks traded with the Hawks and selected Shane Larkin with the No. 18 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday. Here’s a look at Larkin and how he fits with Dallas:

Bio: Miami | Sophomore | Point Guard

Vitals: 6-0, 171 pounds

2012-13 Statistics: 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2 steals, 47.9 percent shooting in 36 games.

Strengths: Larkin can do it all on offense. He’s a superb athlete who can shoot from deep, handle in the pick-and-roll and make the passes needed of a point guard. One of the youngest players on an experienced Hurricanes squad last season, Larkin played like a veteran, reading defenses and avoiding costly turnovers. On defense, Larkin uses his quickness to force steals and bad shots.

Weaknesses: A lack of size will hurt Larkin at the next level. He struggled to finish inside in college and will encounter even bigger and stronger defenders in the NBA. Defensively, he’ll enter every matchup at a disadvantage because of both his size and lack of bulk. Can he use his athleticism to overcome that? The question remains.

What Scouts Say: “Stud athlete, stud kid. His size is never going to change, so the question is whether your coach can live with that. He had a 44-inch vertical at the combine. He’s gonna be pretty damn good, man. If you have talented pieces around him, he’s going to be really good because he likes to get others involved. He’s an off-the-charts kid. He is truly about the team.”

Team Fit: By working through two separate transactions involving Boston and Atlanta, Dallas did nicely for itself by parlaying the No. 13 overall pick into Larkin, the No. 44 overall pick and two future second-round picks while shedding the salary of seldom-used guard Jared Cunningham. Larkin is definitively a better prospect than Cunningham, and has nice potential as a waterbug ball handler who makes nice reads out of the pick-and-roll.

It’s impossible to broach Larkin’s game without mentioning his size, but the Mavs and head coach Rick Carlisle have experience utilizing the offensive skills of undersized guards by working them off of Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas’ centerpiece draws so much attention and creates so much space with his shooting that Larkin should be able to dart into the paint consistently, and in the process have a bit more space to finish or create than he might have had otherwise. A good find for Dallas and a great fit for Larkin.


(sun-sentinel.com)

CORAL GABLES — If only he were a few inches taller.

Shane Larkin's heard it for years and doubters remain. Still, the 5-foot-11 former Miami Hurricane is expected to hear his name called during the first round of the NBA Draft, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday. Most mock drafts have him listed as a mid-round selection.

How much his height will matter in the pros is still up for debate, but he'll join an elite group of Hurricanes either way. Larkin will likely become only the fourth first-round pick to come out of Coral Gables and the first since John Salmons was the 26th overall pick 11 years ago. Since Rick Barry was taken No. 2 overall in 1965, no Hurricane has been drafted higher than Tim James (No. 25) in 1999.

Several other members of UM's Sweet 16 team worked out for NBA teams, but Larkin appears to be the only sure thing on draft night. Kenny Kadji had been appearing as high as the first round in draft projections, but his stock has since slipped.

Larkin, however, is one of the fast risers in the mock drafts. Originally slotted as late first-round or early second-round pick, the Orlando product moved all the way onto the cusp of the lottery.

Impressive individual workouts and a 44-inch vertical (second highest in NBA combine history) helped improve his stock considerably. Speed, defensive instincts and an improved jump shot led him to leave UM after his sophomore season, when he scored 14.5 points per game and earned second team All-America honors.

ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford said Larkin's best-case scenario appears to be going 14th to the Utah Jazz, although the Jazz could wait until the 21st pick to draft Larkin.

"I'm not sure they'll take [him] there," Ford said of Utah using its No. 14 pick on Larkin. "We have him going 15 to the Bucks in our mock, and he's definitely in the mix there. He's in the mix for Boston at 16. He's in the mix with the Hawks. They have two picks at 17 and 18. And if he was still on the board when the Jazz drafted at 21, assuming that they decided to go big and not take a point guard, I think that's his range, 14 to 21."

Ford said concerns not just about Larkin's height, but his short wingspan could also deter franchises. It measured at 5 feet 10, lower than any point guard drafted during the past decade, Ford said. For comparison, fellow point guard Trey Burke's wingspan measured 6-5.

Miami coach Jim Larranaga doesn't worry about any of that with Larkin.

"I mean, the kid's just a great athlete," Larranaga told CBS Sports radio this week. "I don't think size is as much of a factor in the NBA as it once was."
He pointed to the NBA Finals when the Spurs went to four-guard sets and the diminishing post-up style of play. One local NBA star who won another ring last week has faith in Larkin.

"Shane is a guy that has an opportunity to be very good in our league, and some of the other UM guys as well," LeBron James said. "We'll see what happens."
Former Hurricanes Durand Scott, Trey McKinney-Jones, Julian Gamble, Reggie Johnson and Kadji had workouts with NBA teams in recent weeks. Kadji's age is the biggest challenge, Ford said, while predicting he'll go undrafted.

"Yeah, it's a big deal in the NBA," Ford said. "And at 25, people begin to really question your productivity because you ought to be playing basketball against kids that are six, seven years younger than you."


(sun-sentinel.com)

University of Miami basketball coach Jim Larrañaga plans to watch Thursday’s NBA Draft from his bed, where he will be recovering from oral surgery. Despite the discomfort, he said he will force himself to smile as at least two former Hurricanes — point guard Shane Larkin and forward Kenny Kadji — are expected to be drafted.

Larkin is considered such a lock he was invited to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for the draft ceremony, where he will be sitting in the audience with his family.
The last time two UM players were picked in the NBA Draft was 1970, and they were selected in the 10th round (Don Curnutt) and the 15th round (Wayne Canady). This time, Larkin is projected to go in the first round — somewhere between No. 13 and No. 21 — and Kadji in the middle to late second round.

Their UM teammates, Durand Scott, Julian Gamble, Reggie Johnson and Trey McKinney Jones, probably will go undrafted and have to latch on to an NBA summer league team or go overseas. All the UM players have spent the past few weeks working out and interviewing with NBA teams. Kadji worked out for 13 teams, and Larkin more than that.

Larkin’s size (5-11) and Kadji’s age (25) are of concern to some teams, but both have impressed on and off the court. Larkin, who opted for the draft after his sophomore season at UM, tested off the charts at the NBA Combine with a 44-inch vertical leap — second-best of all-time at the Combine. His charisma and pedigree are also plusses.

A few of the most popular mock drafts have Larkin going No. 14 to the Utah Jazz, No. 15 to the Milwaukee Bucks, or No. 16 to the Boston Celtics, where Larrañaga’s son, Jay, is an assistant and being considered for the head coaching job after the departure of Doc Rivers, who knew Larkin as a youth in Orlando. If he drops past No. 20, the Jazz might take him at No. 21, or he could wind up with Indiana at No.23.

“From what I’m hearing, Shane will probably go 15 to 20, but he could fall to 25 and the only reason is his size,” said one NBA scout, who did not want to be named. “Some people just don’t like small point guards, and he’s not going to grow. But the majority of teams like him. He did great at the Combine, and the thing that makes him different is because of his dad [baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin], he grew up used to the bright lights and the big moments.”

ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford said: “Larkin is really talented. If only he were a couple inches taller. It’s not only height he lacks, but length. His wing span measured 5-10, and in the last decade we haven’t seen many point guards with that wing span. But he’s a great pick-and-roll player, shooter, one of the best athletes out there, so some team will take a chance on him.”

Larkin reportedly had a good workout with the Jazz.

“It was good that I had to go out and play with bigger players. I’ve seen people say that, ‘His height, he can’t play defense, da da da,’ so I went out to prove that I can,” he told Utah reporters.

Jazz head scout Walt Perrin said: “Shane’s 44 vertical is unbelievable for a point guard. It was eye-popping seeing those kind of numbers. If a guy can play, it doesn’t matter what his size is. We think he can play. How well he plays on this level is something we have to evaluate.”

Kadji is 6-11 and a good perimeter shooter, making him a coveted “stretch 4” player.

“Some teams will see his age and ask, ‘What’s his upside? Can we get a younger guy as good as him?’ ” another NBA scout said. “But he’s a good pick-and-pop player and there’s value in that.”

Said his Washington-based agent, David Bauman: “The flip side of being older is Kenny won’t make the mistakes 19-year-olds sometimes make, on the road with money, clubbing, women, drinking. He’s not going to do that. He’s a man. His maturity showed in all his interviews.”

Assuming they get drafted, Larrañaga said Larkin and Kadji will leave behind “a legacy” for the program, which will help with recruiting in years to come.
“Prospects always ask, ‘Who you got in the NBA?’ We’ll be able to say DeQuan Jones, Shane, Kenny, maybe Durand,” Larrañaga said. “Shane was not considered one of the top-20 high school prospects and now is a first-round pick. He improved at UM. We want that message sent and clearly understood.”


(miamiherald.com)

At 5-foot-11, Shane Larkin isn't tall in stature.

But the Miami point guard sure knows how to play.

All he needs is an opportunity, a team to look past his size and give him a shot.

Perhaps the Thunder will be that team.

Oklahoma City is in the market for a third point guard behind Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson, and Larkin has an intriguing, if not spectacular, combination of skills that could fit well with the Thunder.

He's got speed and quickness, a sweet shooting stroke, exceptional range and a vast knowledge of how to run the pick-and-roll.

But … he's 5-11.

That could be a deal-breaker for the Thunder, which historically has preferred players with size, length and versatility.

“If you're doubting me in any way, that's just going to give me more drive, more motivation, more determination to go out there and do it,” Larkin said at the NBA Draft combine.

Larkin's size certainly will be his biggest barrier.

But he showed throughout the Hurricanes' run to the Sweet 16 this season that he has just about everything you would want in a point guard. He uses his speed to blow by defenders and get into the teeth of defenses. He makes good decisions, setting up teammates regularly and with pinpoint passes. He even is scrappy on defense.

Couple those traits with the new wave of small ball that's sweeping the NBA and you can see how Larkin could find success. Recent successful guards who stand less than 6 feet tall include Ty Lawson, J.J. Barea, D.J. Augustin, Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas.

Larkin, the son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, thinks he's next.

“I think I'm very ready,” Larkin said. “My game I think will translate well to the NBA just because I ran so much pick-and-roll in college, and the NBA is so much pick-and-roll. … It really depends on the team in the NBA, but everybody runs pick-and-roll. So I think I can go in there and contribute as a pick-and-roll guard.”

According to draftexpress.com, 47 percent of Larkin's offense this season was from pick-and-roll sets. Defenders can't go under screens because Larkin can make them pay with his shooting. If they go over, he can use his speed to get to the basket. And if the defense collapses, Larkin can and will find the open man, either on a drop-off at the rim or a kick out to shooters.

“He's so good at what he does,” said Miami coach Jim Larranaga.

Larkin exploded onto the national scene this season as a sophomore on a senior-laden Hurricanes squad. He averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and two steals while leading Miami to both the ACC regular-season and tournament titles.

Larkin led Miami in minutes, points, assists and steals while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from 3-point range.

“I don't think there has been a more valuable player to any team,” Larranaga said of Larkin.

Thanks to Larkin's sharpshooting and world-class athleticism, his value figures to translate to the NBA level. He doesn't project to be a star player, but he could add depth to a team in need of an additional ballhandler and someone to help space the floor.

The obvious drawback would be Larkin's ability to defend. Bigger point guards like Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, John Wall and Jrue Holiday could have their way with Larkin in the post or simply shoot over him. But if used in tandem with a player like Westbrook in small-ball lineups, Larkin could be hidden on a lesser scorer.

But for Larkin to get an opportunity, he'll seemingly need two things: a freethinking general manager and a creative coach.

Will the Thunder be that team?


(newsok.com)

Shane Larkin, 5-foot-10 point guard, Miami: The son of baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin carved out his own name for himself as the leader of a Hurricanes' team that had the most successful season in school history. The diminutive floor general blends both well-rounded scoring ability and playmaking skills, using his extreme quickness to combat his lack of size. Following a banner season on the college level, Larkin intrigued NBA personnel people and after going back and forth on whether or not to return to school, his draft stock is rising.

Career highlights: After transferring from DePaul before even playing a game for the Blue Demons, Larkin had a solid freshman campaign at Miami, earned the starting point guard job and was named to the ACC's all-freshman team. He took it up another notch as a sophomore, garnering first-team all-conference honors and winning the ACC tournament MVP award, as well as helping the Hurricanes achieve the program's highest national ranking ever and sweep the ACC regular-season and tournament titles for the first time, Some of the top games for the third-team All-American and ACC Coaches' Player of the Year include an 18-point, 10-rebound, five-assist outing in a win over then-No. 1 Duke, the first time "The U" knocked off the nation's top-ranked team, a 25-point game that featured three-pointers in a duel with nation's leading scorer Erick Green of Virginia Tech and a career-high 28-point affair in a victory over North Carolina that was attended by Miami Heat superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Strengths: Not only does Larkin possess dangerous quickness, he knows how to use it, as evidenced by his mastery of ball screens, which bodes well for his future in the pick-and-roll heavy offenses of the NBA. Larkin is a willing passer, but has excellent shooting range, can knock down pull-up jumpers off the dribble, is a clever finisher in the lane and on occasion, displays eye-popping athleticism, which helps him be a better rebounder than his size suggests. Defensively, he utilizes his quickness to pester opposing ballhandlers and when he's off the ball, anticipate passes for easy steals.

Weaknesses: Larkin's main issue at the next level will be his size deficiency, which bigger and stronger point guards will attempt to use against him on both ends of the floor. He will be susceptible to the post-up game, offensive players will shoot over him and due to his slight frame, they will also get physical with him. With only two years of college experience under his belt, he's still a very young player, so there will be a learning curve before he's fully entrusted with running an offense, though he did show great poise at Miami.

Draft projection: Partly because of his off-the-charts athletic-testing results at the NBA Pre-Draft Combine in Chicago last month, Larkin is rising up the boards and could be drafted right after the lottery. Regarded by some observers as highly as the third-best true point guard in the draft after consensus lottery picks Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams, Larkin's proficiency in pick-and-roll scenarios and extended range also boost his stock. While there's nothing he can do about his small stature, the recent success of the likes of Denver's Ty Lawson, for example, only give credence to the notion that Larkin can develop into a long-term starter who can excel in either half-court or transition and at the least, a change-of-pace guard off the bench.


(csnchicago.com)

We're continuing our Celtics NBA Draft preview with a profile of Miami point guard Shane Larkin. We'll preview the best fits for the Celtics up until the 2013 NBA Draft on June 27. Boston owns the No. 16 pick in this year's draft.

Shane Larkin Position: Point guard Age: 20 Height/weight: 5-10, 171 pounds Last played: University of Miami 2012-13 stats: 14.5 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.3 turnovers in 36 minutes DraftExpress.com projection: No. 14 pick

Strengths: Pick-and-roll, agility, speed, scoring. Larkin's 44-inch vertical leap was the second-highest ever recorded at the combine.
Weaknesses: Size, defense

Skinny: Undersized guards are something of a trend following Nate Robinson's standout performance for the Bulls in this year's playoffs. Robinson aside, the Celtics could use someone to run their offense when Rajon Rondo goes to the bench (or in case Rondo isn't ready for the start of the season). On Monday we profiled German point guard Dennis Schroeder. Larkin is more ready to contribute now.

If you watched college basketball this season you're familiar with the explosiveness which Larkin possesses. The Celtics are familiar, too. Larkin was high school rivals with Doc Rivers's son Austin in Orlando. He played at Miami for Jim Larranaga, father of Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga. The Celtics have already brought him in for a workout.

“For me, I think he showed the things I’ve watched over the last two years in playing for my father,” said the younger Larranaga, who ran the workouts. “Shane, I thought he did what he normally does. He’s a very athletic, unselfish, tough player.”

Larkin's father, Barry, is a Hall of Fame shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.

The scouting report below is from the diligent work of DraftExpress.




(boston.com)

Miami PG Shane Larkin's recent workout with the Bucks was "decent but hardly special," according to two Bucks sources.

Larkin stands just 5'11" tall but he also made waves during the NBA scouting combine in May when he recorded a 44-inch vertical leap, second-highest in the combine's history. In spite of his reportedly lackluster workout in Milwaukee, Larkin remains a prime candidate to be drafted by the Jazz (No. 14), Bucks (No. 15) or Celtics (No. 16).


(rotoworld.com)

Shane Larkin knows the questions.

He’s spending the days leading up to the NBA Draft on June 27 trying to provide the answers.

Larkin, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Miami, worked out for the Utah Jazz on Wednesday at the team’s practice facility.

One of the things the Jazz wanted to see — like other teams interested in him — was whether Larkin is capable of defending bigger players.

To that end, Larkin was by far the smallest player invited to this workout.

The others included three guards — 6-5 Lorenzo Brown from North Carolina State, 6-5 Malik Story of Nevada and 6-7 Reggie Bullock of North Carolina — along with forwards Tony Mitchell of North Texas State and Amath M’Baye of Oklahoma.

"I was the shortest guy out there, so that’s good," Larkin said. "I had to go out and show I can play against bigger players.

"… That’s one of the questions about me. Can I play against bigger guys? So it was good to go out and try to prove that I can."

Since the Chicago scouting combine two weeks ago, Larkin’s stock has risen sharply.

Despite his worrisome size, he demonstrated freakish athletic ability and became a player who will likely be picked in the middle of the first round.


(sltrib.com)

SALT LAKE CITY — Shane Larkin is a great athlete. He proved that at the recent NBA combine when he posted a vertical leap of 44 inches, the second-best mark in the history of the annual pre-draft showcase. So why didn’t he follow in the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father, Barry, and try to become a Major League Baseball player?

Turns out that when he was 8 years old and trying to emulate former Cincinnati Reds players, such as Tony Perez and Pete Rose, his little league coach told him his batting form was all wrong. He followed his coach’s instructions, but wasn’t successful — so he quit baseball.

“That was my last year of organized baseball — ever,’’ he said.

As a result, Larkin turned to basketball, where he has excelled enough that he is projected as a likely first-round pick in this month’s NBA draft after a stellar career for the University of Miami.

Larkin showed off his talents Wednesday to Utah Jazz coaches as one of six players brought to work out along with Lorenzo Brown, a 6-5 guard from North Carolina State; Reggie Bullock, a 6-7 forward from North Carolina; Amath M'Baye, a 6-9 forward from Oklahoma; Tony Mitchell, a 6-8 forward from North Texas; and Malik Story, a 6-5 guard from Nevada.

Larkin apparently impressed the Jazz with his play on the floor and really impressed the media with his engaging personality in a seven-minute interview after his session.

“I love being out in front of people, love talking with people, so it’s good,’’ he said.

When asked to sell himself to the Jazz, Larkin said, “I’m a good guy on and off the court. I’d be great in the community, a friendly face. If anybody ever sees me in the community and he can come up to me, I’m never going to be stuck up.’’

And his game? “I did well in college and was second-team AP All-American.’’

Larkin also talked about his ability to play the pick-and-roll, his outstanding jumping talent and his ability to run an offense.

His more than two-hour workout with five other players was closed to the media and Jazz coaches didn’t comment on how he fared against two 6-foot-5 guards and three forwards. However, Jazz head scout Walt Perrin was complimentary of Larkin.

“Shane’s 44 vertical is unbelievable for a point guard,’’ he said. “It was eye-popping seeing those kind of numbers from Shane.’’

The one concern about Larkin is his height at 5 foot, 11 inches. Only a handful of players in the NBA are under 6 feet tall.

Larkin said his workout was useful because he was able to go up against bigger players and prove he can guard them.

“It was good that I had to go out and play with bigger players,’’ he said. “I think I proved that I can do it. I’ve seen people say that, ‘His height, he can’t play defense, da-da-da,’ so I went out today to prove that. Today was big for me and I think I did a pretty good job.’’

While his height may hurt his NBA prospects, Perrin downplayed it.

“Does it matter? There’s a couple of other players in the league (that size) still playing. If a guy can play, it doesn’t matter what his size is,’’ Perrin said. “We think he can play. How well he plays on this level is something we have to evaluate.’’

Perrin acknowledged that not every player brought in is a prospect to be drafted. But the one other player who may be a possibility to be a Jazz draft pick is Brown, a lanky guard who was recruited by current Jazz assistant Sidney Lowe to N.C. State. Most draft boards list him among the top six or seven point guards this year.

Six more players will work out for the Jazz Thursday — Marquette guard Vander Blue, Baylor guard Pierre Jackson, Notre Dame forward Jack Cooley, Minnesota forward Trevor Mbakwe, Arizona forward Solomon Hill and Georgia Tech guard Glen Rice Jr.


(desertnews.com)

Shane Larkin might be gone by the time the Milwaukee Bucks select 15th in the NBA Draft, but he would want the organization to pick him if possible.

"I kind of had that same setup down in Miami," Larkin said. "So coming in here and running the pick-and-roll with those guys would be a lot like at Miami. It seems like a good fit to me."

Larkin, 20, has studied the Bucks' personnel and said he would be comfortable playing in a lineup with Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova.

"Actually Larry Sanders was at VCU when coach Shaka (Smart) was recruiting me, so I knew about him," Larkin said. "I played with a stretch 4 (at Miami), so that's like Ersan."


(basketball.realgm.com)

Miami point guard Shane Larkin tops the list of six players who will participate in a pre-draft workout for the Jazz on Wednesday morning at the team’s practice facility.

Larkin, the son of baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, is a 5-foot-11 point guard who is projected to be selected in the middle of the first round of the draft on June 27.

The Jazz own the No. 14 and No. 21 picks in the first round. They also own the 46th overall pick in the second round.

Larkin averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and shot 40.6 percent from the 3-point line last season, when Miami won the Atlantic Coast Conference and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

In a regular-season win over top-ranked Duke, he scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out five assists.

Larkin does not turn 21 until Oct. 2. He opened eyes of NBA scouts in Chicago recently when his vertical leap was measured at 44 inches — second-best in the history of the combine.

This week, reports surfaced that Boston hopes to draft Larkin as a backup to All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo. The Celtics own the 16th pick in the draft — two spots behind the Jazz.


(sltrib.com)

The Celtics could draft a point guard with the No. 16 pick in the June draft.

Beat writer Gary Washburn writes "don't be surprised" if the Celtics "nab a point guard," and he specifically references Shane Larkin as a possibility to backup Rajon Rondo. Although the Celtics desperately need size, they also need a backup point guard badly, something that was obvious to anyone watching the team after Rondo went down last season. Washburn also notes Dennis Schroeder, a German point guard, is in the mix.


(rotoworld.com)

The agent for Miami PG Shane Larkin said his client has no intention of working out for the Knicks.

"We don't feel like he's going to be on the board when they select," agent Steve McCaskill said. The Knicks hold the No. 24 pick in the June 27 draft. They could use some point guard depth with Jason Kidd at 40 years old and Pablo Prigioni's future unclear. Larkin's stock rose a little at the Combine when he showed extremely well in the athletic drills. The negative is that he measured in at 5-foot-11 1/2 and 170 pounds. Trey Burke is considered undersized at 6-foot-1 1/4 and 187.


(rotoworld.com)

With the New York Knicks holding the No. 24 pick in June’s NBA Draft, many expect the franchise to target their point guard of the future.

That man very well could be Miami’s Shane Larkin.

According to Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com, the Knicks love the idea of potentially drafting Larkin should he fall to them in the first round.

The son of MLB Hall of Famer Barry Larkin had a breakout year in leading the Hurricanes to an ACC Championship. The sophomore averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game and single handily carried the Canes to their best season in quite some time. He also put up very respectable shooting numbers, knocking down 47.9 percent of his shots from the floor and 40.6 of his attempts from behind the arc.

He continued opening eyes at the NBA Combine in Chicago when he recorded a 44-inch vertical leap — a combine record.

If a guy like Larkin falls to the Knicks at No. 24 it would be a gift.

With Jason Kidd at 40 and Pablo Prigioni at 35, the pick would make perfect sense.

The Knicks need a good young quick point guard who can handle himself at both ends of the floor, something Raymond Felton cannot. In Larkin, the Knicks would be getting a dynamic young point guard with plenty of upside and a guy who could become a perfect complement for Felton in the short-term.

What the Knicks need is a guy who can push the pace when needed, which may be Larkin’s biggest strength.

Offensively, defenders have no idea how to guard him as he can pull up from NBA range or drive right by you. He is so smooth and shoots the ball with such ease coming off the dribble. He’s outstanding in the pick-and-roll and is very balanced in terms of scoring. He is also a very creative passer with excellent vision.

At 5’11″, size will obviously be one of his biggest issues, but he does have a very quick release on his jump shot. Larkin is just as good of a shooter spotting up as he is off the bounce and has the basketball IQ to move without the ball in his hands as well.

Defensively will present the biggest obstacles for Larkin as he is neither tall nor strong. He is a very smart defender though and will have to use those smarts to have success in the NBA.

Larkin has all the upside in the world and could become a very good BA point guard within time. In the short-term though he could provide a spark off the bench for the Knicks.

At No. 24 he could be the best guard left on the board and if he is available for the Knicks, they may be foolish to pass on him.


(bucketsbroadway.com)

CHICAGO -- You tend to believe Shane Larkin when he says the NBA's current crop of hyper-talented point guards doesn't intimidate him. From the moment Larkin made basketball his full-time focus, he's been peppered with doubts.

He's aware he's undersized -- measuring at 5'11, Larkin is the shortest player at the draft combine who will garner consideration in the first round. He's aware that some teams question his playmaking skills after he averaged under five assists per game as a sophomore at Miami. And he's aware that point guard is the most stacked position in the NBA.

As Larkin starts to name the league's best point guards, he says their names with a certain reverence. He doesn't stop at Russell Westbrook or Tony Parker, he keeps going. Jrue Holiday, John Wall, Stephen Curry, the list goes on. Larkin's job at the next level will not be an easy one. He'll be tasked with matching wits against some of the league's most skilled and athletic players, many a few inches taller than he, from the moment he steps onto a pro court. Just don't tell Shane Larkin that his height will work against him.


(philly.com)

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has always been brutally honest with his advice for Shane Larkin. Like the time after Rivers' son, Austin, defeated Larkin's high school squad in a Florida state championship hoops battle.

"Doc saw me after the game and said, 'Great game. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’m glad my son beat you, but at the same time, you’re a great player, you’re going to do great things,'" said Larkin, smiling as he recalled the slightly backhanded compliment in a losing effort. "I have a great relationship with [Doc]. If there’s a chance of being able to play for him in the NBA, that’s just like a dream."

As Orlando residents, Larkin has known Rivers for the better part of a decade, dating back to when he and Austin were teammates on a 9-year-old AAU All-Star team in the early 2000s. The pair soon became the Larry and Magic of local high school hoops, meeting in two state title clashes (Austin's Winter Park twice bested Larkin's Dr. Phillips). The two would even cross paths again in college -- both wearing No. 0 at that level -- in a Duke-Miami showdown two seasons ago. Could coach Rivers' familiarity with Larkin convince the Celtics to consider Larkin with the 16th overall pick in next month's draft?

Larkin was the top-ranked guard of the eight backcourt players the Celtics auditioned over two days of pre-draft workouts at their training facility last week. Larkin is currently ranked the 19th best player (and fourth best point guard) on ESPN.com's Top 100 draft board, and is pegged as a mid first-round pick.

The 5-foot-11 Larkin is undersized, but he has showcased speed (producing the fastest ¾ court sprint at this month's draft combine) and leaping ability (posting the second-highest max vertical ever at 44 inches; he thanks his dancing mother for his hops). But that's not his only athletic pedigree -- his father is 12-time MLB All-Star and Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, while his uncles were stars on both the hardwood and gridiron -- and there's obvious intrigue in his game giving just his bloodlines.

Boston was Larkin's first stop on a workout shuttle that was scheduled to also take him to Milwaukee, Utah, and Phoenix while hoping to better his draft standing.

"I just need to come in here and show how athletic I am, show that I can defend and show that I’m willing to work," said Larkin. "I’m an undersized guy, so I have to work harder than everybody else. Just go out there and show them those things that's what is going to help me play in the NBA.

"It’s a great learning process. It’s great to know what people doubt about you so you can go in there and work as hard at that, so when they watch you play, you try to show them that even though they’re doubting it and they don’t think you can do it, you go out there and show them that you can. It’s been a great process. As a kid, you always dream about playing in the NBA. This is a dream. I’m living my dream."

If you've heard of Larkin, you've probably heard the often-relayed story about how basketball ended up as his sport of choice. After shadowing his father at Cincinnati Reds camp as a kid and learning how to hit from Hall of Famers like Pete Rose and Tony Perez, a YMCA coach questioned 8-year-old Larkin's stance, sending him into a season-long funk, and Larkin hasn't played the sport in organized format since then. He flirted with football (his uncle Mike played at Notre Dame), but a gridiron injury his freshman year of high school forced him to miss time in basketball and that downtime only confirmed his love for hoops.

Like Austin leans on his NBA-tested father, Larkin has a family support system as he embarks on his pro career.

"My uncle [Mike] has been more hands on, but my Dad has pretty much been my Dad and has supported me through everything," he said. "If I had a bad workout somewhere, I’d call him. He’d be like, ‘Just brush it off. There’s going to be another workout another day. It’s just another workout.' He’s just been really supportive throughout the process."

Larkin felt right at home in Boston. Not only did he cross paths with Rivers, but Jay Larranaga -- son of Miami coach, Jim Larranaga -- helmed the pre-draft workouts and the up-close look only confirmed what his eyes saw watching Hurricanes games.

"I’ve seen him a lot," said Larranaga. "For me, I think he showed the things I’ve watched over the last two years in playing for my father. I know what [general manager] Danny [Ainge] has seen, I’m sure he’s seen him a lot as well. Shane, I thought he did what he normally does. He’s a very athletic, unselfish, tough player."

With Rajon Rondo set to return from ACL surgery this season, Larkin knows he'd be deep on the depth chart his rookie season if he were swooped up by Boston. He's fine with that possibility.

"As a rookie, you’ve got to come in and you’ve got to earn everything," he said. "So coming in and having an opportunity to play behind Rajon Rondo, that can’t be a bad thing. I mean, the minutes aren’t going to be there immediately, but learning everything you can from Rondo -- he’s one of the better point guards in the NBA, an All-Star every year – it’s just going to help me become a better player. Going up against him every day in practice is going to make you better. Having an opportunity to play against someone like that would be a great experience, especially as a rookie."

And, of course, there would be the opportunity for plenty more advice from Rivers.


(espn.com)

Shane Larkin recorded the second-biggest maximum vertical leap in combine history.

Larkin's 44-inch maximum vertical stands second to Kenny Gregory's 45-and-a-half inches in 2001. Larkin also posted a 34.5-inch standing vertical leap and the fastest time in sprint drills (3.08) thus far, according to Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports. Larkin's raw athleticism is undeniable with the impressive combine results he posted.


(philly.com)

Shane Larkin and Kenny Kadji likely improved their NBA Draft stock on Friday by wowing the scouts at the NBA Combine in Chicago.

Larkin registered a jaw-dropping 44-inch vertical leap, the second highest ever and best since Kenny Gregory jumped 45.5 inches in 2001.

Larkin, the 5-11 former University of Miami point guard, also had the best sprint time of the 61 players at the combine. His 34.5-inch leap from a dead standstill was also the top mark. ESPN draft guru Chad Ford tweeted Larkin was testing out as the “top athlete.”

Kadji, the 6-11 former UM forward, also had an impressive day with a 38-inch vertical and 34 from a standstill. Ford called Kadji’s leaping ability “very surprising.”

Heading into the combine, Ford said of Larkin: “He’s got a great vertical; he’s very quick with the ball. Actually, when you start to look at some of the advanced metric numbers, he tests as a top-10 player in the draft.

“I know that some NBA scouts, especially a lot of the older ones and the older GMs, they don’t pay attention to those, but you’ve got a lot of NBA front offices now that are really looking at those numbers as well, and Larkin shows really well there. He actually showed better than every other point guard other than Trey Burke in the draft. I think that helps his cause of being a first-round pick.”


(miamiherald.com)

Shane Larkin, G, Miami

SI.com: Your father, Barry Larkin, is a Hall of Fame baseball player. Why didn't you get into baseball?
Shane Larkin: "Pete Rose and Tony Perez taught me how to hit. Tony Perez had the whole bat waggle and Pete Rose lifted his leg. I had those things in my game early on, as an eight-year old. I was playing baseball at a YMCA in Orlando and when I came up to bat my coach saw my whole routine and he told me 'Stop what you're doing; whoever taught you how to hit doesn't know what they are talking about. Give it up. Plant your foot, keep the bat still and you will be way more successful.' So I tried to do what he said, but I couldn't hit the rest of the season. And that was the last year I played organized baseball."

SI.com: Did you ever feel pressure to play baseball because of your father?
SL: "Not really, because he never put any pressure on me. Of course, when I was in the clubhouse the guys on his team were always like, 'When are you going to get out here on the field,' but it was never pressure from my Dad. He actually wanted me to play football. That was the only sport he made me play. I wanted to play soccer because the kids at my elementary school played soccer, but he said, 'Football was fun, I [have to play] football -- he went to Michigan on a football scholarship -- and if you don't like it you don't have to play again.'"


(cnnsi.com)

Shane Larkin and Kenny Kadji are one step closer to realizing their NBA dream. The former University of Miami basketball players are among 61 players invited to Chicago for the NBA Combine, which begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

The NBA’s general managers and scouts will interview the players, put them through a battery of athletic tests, and measure them to determine their true heights. Larkin, who is listed as a 5-11 and 186-pound point guard, said he is eager to show any doubters that his athleticism, strength, and court sense can compensate for his lack of height.

“It’s huge to get an invitation to the combine,’’ Larkin said by phone from Bradenton, where he has been training at the IMG Academy with former UM teammates Kadji, Reggie Johnson, and Julian Gamble.

“It means I’m almost there, almost in the NBA. I’ve been working on my ball-handling and my mid-range jump shot because there are very athletic 7-footers in the NBA and you can’t get to the rim as much, so I’ll have to rely more on a pull-up, mid-range jumper than I did in college.’’

As for concerns about his size, Larkin said: “I’m small, but I can dunk easily and I’ve got to show them that I’m strong enough to handle the big men off the post. I’m excited to get there and show what I can do. I’m not nervous. Basketball is basketball.’’

Kadji said he isn’t nervous, either.

“This is something I’ve been working on my whole life, and I have an opportunity now to showcase my skills to GMs in the NBA who respected me enough to invite me to the Combine,” Kadji said. “People know about my shooting ability, so I want to focus on showing them my athleticism, my ball-handing, jumping, my running, sliding my feet. I have special gifts not all the big men have, and that versatility is important in the NBA.’’

Kadji said he has “no doubt’’ Larkin has what it takes to play in the NBA.

“He can’t do anything about his height, he was born that way, but he makes up for it with his speed, decision-making, and awareness on the court,’’ Kadji said. “I’ve played with him the past two years, and he can handle anything. He’ll be fine. Shane is strong and really quick and his basketball IQ is way up there.’’

Larkin and Kadji will fly together from Bradenton to Chicago on Wednesday morning along with a few other draft prospects who have been working out at IMG. The invitation list for the NBA Combine was compiled from votes of all 30 NBA front offices. The league sent each team a list of a few hundred draft-eligible players, and each team voted for 60 invitees.

Larkin is being projected as a first-round or early second-round pick, and Kadji as a second-round pick. The NBA Draft is June 27.


(miamiherald.com)

Final exams end Wednesday at the University of Miami, but the studying and learning go on in Bradenton for former Hurricanes basketball players Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble.

They are participating in IMG Academy’s NBA Draft Training Program, and Shane Larkin is scheduled to join them Thursday night.

Draft prospects in the program are preparing for the NBA Combine, being held May 15-19 in Chicago. They are trying to elevate their stock by spending 12 hours per day working on basketball skills, speed and movement, strength and conditioning, mental exercises, vision training, nutrition and communications. Among the activities they go through are a mock combine, a mock draft, mock interviews with general managers and mock news conferences.

While they await their Atlantic Coast Conference championship rings in the mail, the former Canes are chasing their NBA dreams together. Larkin, a sophomore who decided to skip his final two years of college eligibility, is projected to be picked anywhere from late in first round to the middle of the second round. Kadji is expected to be chosen in the second round.

Among the other players in the program are Brandon Paul of Illinois, Laurence Bowers of Missouri and Romero Osby of Oklahoma.

“It’s definitely not college anymore,” said Johnson, who is working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery that kept him out of the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. “The whole focus is on life as a pro, everything from getting strong enough to handle bigger guys to how to walk into a room to meet with a GM. They told us to shake everyone’s hand, to make eye contact, and not to rock back and forth in our chair because that makes you look nervous. I’m glad Kenny and Julian are here because we’ve gone through so much together, we push each other, and we have a lot of fun together.”

Johnson said he meets with the nutritionist three times per week, is drinking only water and G2 (diet Gatorade) and already has lost 12 pounds since arriving nearly a month ago. He was itching to play after his surgery, and now he has added motivation — infant daughter, Camryn, who was born May 1 in North Carolina to Johnson’s high school sweetheart. He said they plan to marry “pretty soon,” but first he hopes to sign with a team and get financially stable.

“I have a beautiful little princess depending on me now,” he said. “I was there for the childbirth and it was the most amazing thing. God works in mysterious ways, and he brought us this little girl. When I look into her eyes, it makes me want to cry. I want to provide everything for her, and that drives me to work harder.”

He said the most challenging parts for him have been the outdoor agility training and the vision training. Athletes sit in a dark room, see lights coming quickly from different angles and have to react. The goal is to improve hand-eye coordination so players can handle quick passes and have better peripheral vision to find open teammates.

Gamble said the group of about a dozen athletes has bonded like a team, and he will be rooting for all of them on draft day June 27. Paul has been ribbing Kadji about a controversial out-of-bounds play during the NCAA Tournament game between the Canes and the Illini.

“We’re grinding hard together, day in and day out, and it’s good to be around guys that can relate,” Gamble said. “They don’t know anything about what to expect in the draft process, just like I don’t know anything. We’re learning together from people who coached, played and scouted in the league and the experience is invaluable.”

The basketball skills training is led by former NBA coach Kenny Natt, who worked with the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings. He has coached Karl Malone, John Stockton and LeBron James. Speed expert Loren Seagrave, who has coached Olympic track and field stars, works with the athletes on lateral movement, explosion and stamina.

Kadji is familiar with the staff and the campus, as he attended high school there. He showed Johnson and Gamble around when they arrived and is thrilled to be among friends.

“It’s great to have my UM brothers’ support,” Kadji said. “This is a big step for everybody, and there’s going to be a little bit of butterflies, I’m sure. This will help us be ready.”

He said he has been focusing on getting stronger, and improved from six repetitions bench pressing 185 pounds to 11 reps. He is enjoying the leadership training, and thinks it will come in handy.

“The teams want to see how professional you are, especially if you’re not a top 10 pick, if you’re a guy on the fence,” he said.

“Here, they give us advice on what to say and what not to say to GMs, how to handle the trap questions they throw at you, how to dress, things like that. So, when we get there, we’ll look like pros, not like nervous college kids.”


(miamiherald.com)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Shane Larkin was told he was too short to be an elite college guard, a theory he debunked with ease.

So now he's taking on a new challenge.

After leading Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament championships this past season, Larkin announced Sunday that he's forgoing his final two years of eligibility with the Hurricanes and entering the NBA draft, where he's projected to be chosen possibly as high as a mid-to-late first-rounder.

"I can honestly sit here and say this is the most difficult decision I've ever had to make in my life," Larkin said. "I've probably gone back and forth on this 100 times, just because I love the university so much."

After all that, he's going forth, as are so many others who played big roles for the Hurricanes in their 29-win season that saw them climb as high as No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. Despite rarely looking for his own shot, Larkin led the Hurricanes in scoring at 14.5 points per game -- and the next five names on that list are all departing seniors.

Still, Miami coach Jim Larranaga was beaming after Larkin broke the news that had been expected for some time.

"This is another first for us," Larranaga said. "We've had a lot of firsts this year. You know, a lot of things went really, really well. And this is another milestone. If someone we're recruiting in the future says 'Hey, have you ever had somebody go one-and-done or two-and-done?' we can now say, 'Yes, Shane Larkin did.' Before that, we couldn't. Shane's going to be the first."

Larkin, who lists his height at 5-foot-11, is the son of Baseball Hall of Fame player Barry Larkin, who said Friday that his son was turning pro unless there was some sort of epiphany over the weekend.

That didn't happen. Larkin said he finished his decision-making process on Saturday, then texted Miami teammates around 2 p.m. Sunday so they could hear the word from him.

"It really just came down to what was in my heart and what was in my gut," Larkin said.

It also came down to what he saw.

When Miami lost to Marquette in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament, Larkin -- who spent the day before that game fighting through an illness -- thought he would absolutely return to school because he didn't want his college career to end on such a bad note.

He then saw the devastating leg injury that ended the season for Louisville guard Kevin Ware, and Larkin's mind began to waver.

"I just thought to myself, if I did come back to school and something horrific happened -- even though it's a one-in-a-million chance -- if something horrific happened to me like that, would I be able to live with myself, seeing that my dream was right here for me to take," Larkin said. "That was just one of the main things I was thinking about."

"All of the information he has received is that this is the time for him to come out," Barry Larkin told The Associated Press on Friday.

NBA advisers have told the 5-foot-10½ Larkin they project him to be drafted somewhere from the middle of the first round to early in the second, Barry Larkin said.

"It's a business decision at this point," the elder Larkin said.

The Hurricanes were 48-20 with Larkin in their lineup.

Larkin was selected as the ACC's player of the year in balloting by the league's coaches, and picked up no fewer than 24 individual awards during the season and postseason. He's now going to have a hectic few days while interviewing agents -- the first step in figuring out pre-draft-workout plans -- and trying to finish his academic requirements to close the semester at Miami.

Larkin said he will get his degree, which would fulfill a promise he made to his mother, and even after making the announcement on Sunday he was huddled with Larranaga to discuss his future academic options.

"I'm missing him already," Larranaga said. "I told him, I just want him to be happy and I want him to come back here a lot."


(espn.com)