Relegated into being part of the audience, the Philadelphia 76ers probably did not even anticipate catching some strays in the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. That is precisely what they have been getting, though, and this time, it is Landry Shamet who has handed the team a slice of the regret pie out of the blue.
Shamet, who was a consistent part of Mike Brown's rotation all season long, has had especially impressive performances in their last two games. Now, New York is up 2-0 with the Finals headed to the Big Apple, and no one can deny that the former 76ers draft pick has given the Knicks all that they needed and then some against a formidable Spurs squad on the road.
After averaging just 13.6 minutes per game through the first three rounds, Shamet was rewarded with heavy minutes in Games 1 and 2. He had registered 63 total minutes in their first two Finals outings, and the move certainly paid off for the Knicks. During that span, he logged 13 points a night while draining six of his 13 three-point attempts, giving New York a massive lift from beyond the arc.
Former 76ers draft pick Landry Shamet has emerged as the ensung hero in the Finals for the Knicks
In a rather evenly matched Finals matchup, the Spurs still had some advantage as they had the homecourt edge. That, however, is no longer the case after the Knicks pulled a fast one on them in Game 1.
But to make things more impressive, New York carried that momentum with them and escaped San Antonio with another win. Now, they have a chance for a clean 4-0 sweep, and Shamet was a major reason why they are just two wins away from handing the Knicks their first championship since 1973.
Shamet, whom the 76ers selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has emerged as the unsung hero for the Knicks. After all, aside from the fact that he has given his team a massive boost from three-point line, he has emerged as an underrated defender for them.
A lot of people might have already forgotten, but Philly did not even get to enjoy a full year from Shamet. After all, he was traded in the middle of the 2018-19 season to the Clippers as part of the Tobias Harris trade, and he has bounced around the league since then.
It is nice seeing Wichita State product fare well, though. While there could be some regret now for the 76ers, this is someone who was in the G-League not too long ago. To see him become a key contributor for an impending NBA champion still gives a pleasant feeling, although one can only imagine what thing would look like if Philly stuck with him.
