By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening the second season of his Off the RECourt podcast on Tuesday, Shane Larkin discussed several topics, including his decision to leave Anadolu Efes after eight years to join Fenerbahce.
The 33-year-old combo guard spoke extensively about the severe burnout and internal instability that compromised his well-being during his final years with Efes. “It breaks my heart to have to do this, but I can’t keep doing this for my own mental health,” he noted, reflecting on the heavy emotional toll of navigating six different coaches in just three years.
Driven by a desire to maximize his prime years, Larkin firmly rejected rumors that his historic move was financially motivated, confirming he turned down larger, more lucrative offers from other European powerhouses. For the Cincinnati native, the transition is about legacy and elite competition.
“I’ve made good money. I’m good. It’s not about that for me. I genuinely want to give myself a chance to like grow into a role and a responsibility with a club that is stable,” he explained, adding with fierce determination, “For me as a player I want to win. I want to win championships.”
This pursuit of structural continuity directly aligned him with Fener‘s head coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius. When the two finally sat down to solidify their new partnership, the Lithuanian tactician focused heavily on Larkin’s mental focus and willingness to grind through the demanding EuroLeague season.
“His question was more about the availability,” he recalled the critical turning point of their first major conversation. “Are you willing to do the little things, work hard, be able to be coached. I’m going to scream at you – he’s going to have his moments. How willing are you to deal with those moments and I told him, ‘Listen, as long as we walk out of this season with this trophy, I could not care less. That’s all I care about.’”
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