BSD was present at the Bob Gibbons' Tournament of Champions over the weekend (recap on the way) and had the chance to catch up with Dr. Phillips junior guard Shane Larkin. Larkin, the son of Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin, talked about his ankle injury, idolizing Chris Paul, and what kind of college he is looking for.
BSD: First off, what happened to the ankle?
Larkin: I tore my ATF ligament two weeks ago and I came back early, but I sprained it again in a game yesterday.
BSD: It looks like it’s bothering you quite a bit.
Larkin: I can’t play full speed, but I’ll do whatever I can to help my teammates out there.
BSD: When you play hurt, you play with whatever reserves you have, but it looked like every once in awhile, you’d get frustrated and just turn on the jets. Is that more indicative of how you play in general?
Larkin: If I was 100%, that’s how I play all the time. I play full speed all the time on offense and defense. Those quick bursts, I can do it, but I’m trying to limit myself so I don’t get hurt before the camps I’m going to in June. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help during this tournament, but still be able to go to the CP3 Camp and the Elite Camp.
BSD: Are you going to any other camps this summer?
Larkin: Yeah, I’ll be at the NBA Top 100 Camp.
BSD: Throughout the year, the buzz has been growing about you. Have any schools been coming after you hard lately that weren’t before?
Larkin: Since Coach Bzdelik has been the coach at Wake, they’ve been coming after me hard. Two west coast schools—UCLA and USC—Alabama, Florida State and VCU as well.
BSD: Any offers from them right now?
Larkin: VCU.
BSD: What do you think about Wake in general?
Larkin: They’d want me to come in and play, put the ball in my hands and get the pick and roll going. Everything sounds great about Wake; I just have to get a better relationship with the coaches, go out to the campus and get the environment of the school.
BSD: You wear number three. Have you been a fan of Wake or Chris Paul in general?
Larkin: I’ve been a fan of Chris Paul since I saw the documentary where he had 61 and stopped scoring for his grandfather. Ever since I saw that I thought, that guy, he went to Wake, so I’m down with that.
BSD: You grew up in Cincy; did you follow Xavier at all?
Larkin: I was mostly a Xavier fan because of my uncle (Xavier great Byron Larkin). I liked David West a lot too. That was probably my team.
BSD: What are your biggest strengths as a player and what do you still need to work on?
Larkin: My biggest strengths are penetrating and kicking to my teammates. I need to work on my floater because when I get to college there are going to be seven footers. I also need to work on my vocal leadership schools.
BSD: Who is in the lead right now for you at this point?
Larkin: I’m keeping it wide open right now, but I’ll start narrowing it down in July.
BSD: Do you have a timetable for your decision?
Larkin: I’ll take as many unofficials as I can, but if I go to a school and I love the coaches, the environment and the community around there, then I’ll probably commit.
BSD: You looking for anything specific in the community as well or do you have a vision of what you want out of the school?
Larkin: Community isn’t everything, but I don’t want to be in a bad area. If the coaches are a family and it feels like I’m a part of the family and everyone there is crazy about the school, then that’s what I want.
BSD: Thanks Shane, good luck the rest of the weekend.
Larkin: No problem.
