Landry Shamet Called John Turturro His ‘Racially Ambiguous Illegitimate Father’ and It Rules

If you caught any footage from the New York Knicks’ championship parade, you probably saw actor John Turturro on a float, soaking it all in. He’s a known Knicks fanatic, and frankly, it makes sense that he was there alongside Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, and Ben Stiller. But what nobody expected was Turturro getting an official (and hilarious) family shoutout from Knicks guard Landry Shamet.

Shamet reposted a clip of Turturro partying on his Instagram Stories and called him his “racially ambiguous illegitimate father” due to their strong resemblance. The internet loved it. The Knicks loved it. And honestly, Turturro probably laughed too.

No, Shamet isn’t secretly related to an actor from Brooklyn. But the joke landed because they do share a similar look, and Shamet has been known for his social media humor during the team’s run. It’s the kind of loose, fun energy that defined this team all season.

Shamet’s ride to the ring

The backup guard didn’t exactly light up the postseason stat sheet every night. He averaged 9.3 points per game during the regular season, playing in 51 games and starting 12. In the Eastern Conference Finals, he shot nearly 92% from three-point range, draining 11 of his 12 attempts. That’s absurd efficiency. The Finals were less forgiving. He made just 8 of 26 threes and averaged 6.8 points. But his Game 1 performance — 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting — gave the Knicks an early spark they needed.

It was crunch time shooting in the conference finals that reminded everyone why he’s on the roster. A hot run from deep can flip a series. Shamet provided that at the right moment.

From journeyman to champion

Shamet was drafted 26th overall out of Wichita State in 2018. He’s bounced around the league — Philly, the Clippers, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Washington. He landed with the Knicks in 2024, starting with their G League affiliate in Westchester, then signed a one-year deal in September 2025. Now he’s a champion. That’s a pretty good second chapter in New York.

And somewhere, John Turturro might need to update his family tree.