Just months after lifting the championship and securing his financial future, Landry Shamet has traded the basketball court for a completely different kind of pressure. The New York Knicks guard is spending his time behind a camera, working as an unpaid photographer while most players use the offseason to recover and prepare.
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For Shamet, though, photography has become more than a hobby. It is a craft he keeps returning to.
Front Office Sports reported that Shamet is photographing this year’s US Open, marking his third consecutive appearance at the tournament as an unpaid photographer. He can be spotted among the photographers covering some of the biggest match-ups.
It’s a hobby that he picked up not very long ago. A close friend of his suggested he pick up a camera in 2021, and he hasn’t dropped it yet. “I think since I picked the camera up, I don’t really foresee a day where I put it down,” Shamet told the NY Post.
He immersed himself in the craft, poring over technical manuals, learning from seasoned professionals, and steadily refining his gear. His current kit features a high-end Sony a7R V. His passion has also expanded beyond tennis; the Knicks guard lugs his camera on NBA road trips, seizing the chance to capture candid moments.
Some of which he prints and displays at home.
That dedication eventually led to his volunteer work with the USTA. At the US Open, Shamet works long hours alongside experienced photojournalists, capturing the speed, emotion, and physical intensity of professional tennis.
Fans can have a look at his snaps through his personal brand, Medium: by Landry Shamet. One of his notable projects is “Ferocity,” a black-and-white series documenting Aryna Sabalenka’s championship run.
For Shamet, the unpaid role appears to be about the work itself. He keeps coming back because he enjoys the process of finding the right frame.
Knicks All-rounder: From US Open Photographer to NBA Champion
That makes Landry Shamet’s offseason choice even more striking considering what he had just accomplished in New York. During the Knicks’ 2025-26 championship run, he became a perimeter weapon, especially during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavs.
Across the 4-game sweep, Shamet connected on 11 of 12 three-point attempts, giving the Knicks a devastating shooting option off the bench.
After helping New York win its first championship in 53 years, he entered the offseason with a very different decision to make.
The Knicks wanted him back, and on July 6, Shamet signed a four-year, $24 million contract. The deal averages $6 million per season and keeps him in New York as the franchise begins its title defense.
Looking closely at the context surrounding the agreement, Shamet also made a financial sacrifice to remain with the Knicks.
He turned down larger offers from other contenders and accepted a below-market deal. That helped the Knicks avoid crossing the NBA’s second-apron threshold.
That decision allowed the Knicks to preserve greater flexibility around their championship core while Shamet secured long-term stability in the city. With Mitchell Robinson leaving the scene, Shamet’s sacrifice instills hope.
So there are two very different sides to Shamet’s offseason. One involves a $24 million contract and the responsibility of defending an NBA championship. The other involves sitting in a photo pit without pay, waiting for a tennis player to hit the exact frame he wants.
For a player who has already found financial security through basketball, the second pursuit says something about what motivates him beyond the game. In short, Shamet does not need photography to build his career.
He simply loves it enough to keep showing up.