By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes captain Shane Larkin will remain sidelined for another four to six weeks as he continues rehabilitation for a groin injury. Following a scheduled examination by Prof. Dr. Baris Kocaoglu, the club confirmed that while no further surgical intervention is required, his treatment process is not yet complete. The medical team and coaching staff will continue to periodically evaluate his recovery progress before he returns to the court.
Head coach Pablo Laso acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, stating, “As can be expected, this is a tough situation for our team. We want our captain, Shane Larkin, to be back with us at 100% health, and I hope he rejoins us as soon as possible. We worked hard to have our captain play in the Turkish Cup, but it wasn’t possible. Even when I joined the team, I knew Shane Larkin would be out for a while. Now, I wish for him to be back with us at the earliest opportunity.”
The Istanbul-based club issued this official update on Thursday to inform fans and curb outside speculation. The update follows a period of uncertainty regarding the guard’s availability, since Larkin originally sustained the injury earlier in the season, and despite being initially cleared for the 2026 Ziraat Bankasi Turkiye Kupasi, the persistent issue forced him to miss the tournament.
Kasık bölgesinden sakatlığı bulunan Kaptanımız Shane Larkin’in planlı kontrol muayenesi Prof. Dr. Barış Kocaoğlu tarafından gerçekleştirilmiş, yapılan kapsamlı tetkiklerde oyuncumuz için yeni bir cerrahi muayeneye gerek bulunmadığı fakat Kaptanımızın tedavi sürecinin henüz… pic.twitter.com/T8aEt8A7Ma
— Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) March 5, 2026
The two-time EuroLeague champion had been enjoying a productive ninth EuroLeague campaign, averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds across 11 appearances, before the setback.