*Iman Shumpert finds himself at an impasse at this moment in life. A once very promising basketball career is at something of a crossroads. The father, husband and musician spoke candidly about where he’s at with his b-ball career. In this exclusive interview, Shumpert speaks with Ricardo A. Hazell about what’s been going through his mind since he last suited up for the Brooklyn Nets briefly a few years ago.
“The thing with me for a while, I think I was trying and pressing the issue. And I think it was more so a thing of what I’m just used to,” said Shumpert of the abrupt change in his routine. “Like, I’m so used to, when August is rolling around, I already know who I’m playing for, you know? I’m starting to get the game plans, learning the right schemes, and coverages. Like I’m studying this and studying that. Now, I’m just working out in the gym by myself trying to get somebody to say ‘Hey, we need you’ and just trying to convince everybody about my knees.”
Shumpert’s knees have been an area of concern for a relatively long time and the NBA is notorious for moving on to newer, younger players. Shumpert joins an ever-growing list of free agents.
“Now, I’m just like, bro, this is not it. I’m no longer going to go on my Instagram and post all these basketball videos. Right? As a businessman, what I study is, whatever I’m posting, is what’s going to monetize, right?
“But, if I’m posting these videos, and the NBA keeps throwing me a different excuse, I’m like, ‘that sounds like you don’t want to sign me. If you don’t want to sign me, that doesn’t mean Iman wants to stop playing basketball. Iman loves playing basketball. He never played basketball for anybody’s approval or a check. I was glad a check came, but I love basketball and I’m like that’s some sh*t I would be on every Thursday anyway. I just don’t have to post it anymore.”
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“And I feel like, if I’m posting it initially because I’m promoting a brand or I’m doing this, I’m doing that or I feel in my heart that this is a cool ass video that I want to post. But I’m like I’m no longer in an obligation to fans. So my Instagram may give the appearance that Iman hasn’t looked at a basketball since 2021 and don’t care about it. And that’s not the case.”
EURweb: What is the gist of your new routine now?
Iman Shumpert: “I still watch games, I still study, I still argue with my brother about all this. Go to the gym and get my shots up. Because I did all the surgeries that I’ve had, I have to stay in the weight room, I have to do certain rehab stuff to stay on my game. Plus I want to be able to play with my kids and play with my little cousins and everybody. I’ve got a little cousin in high school and he swears to God he’s gonna do it to me. You know I still got to stay sharp.”
EURweb: So, what’s the bounce look like these days?
“I’m 32. It ain’t like I can’t windmill no more, right? I’m still really hooping. But I really feel great walking. Like, if this was the end of my NBA career forever, it’s like, bro, I never thought I would walk away with my body feeling this good with all the injuries I’ve had.”
“I’ve figured like, damn, I’m probably going to be in this bitch with a limp, but f*ck it. I love it. Six surgeries on my knees and I’m like ‘bro I may walk with a limp but I love this sh*t like it’s a commercial, huh?”
EURweb: Where are you at mentally with this?
Iman Shumpert: “I can’t, as a man, I can’t sit here and twiddle my thumbs and say ‘Oh, man I really want them to pick me up but they don’t wanna pick me up.’ I gotta be like ‘Cool, what was I making? Okay, how do I go get that?’”
“And then like my older self is like ‘You knew this was unfair. You had OGs come in your rookie year and tell you, after you have a few injuries when they’re done with you, just make sure you’re doing other things. Don’t sit there chasing a shadow. ‘They told me all of this. A lot of other people do a lot of bringing it back up. Like, ‘When are you gonna play again?’ Y’all gonna see me in a program again. I just was waiting it out to see if we was gonna do it professionally. It just wasn’t meant to be. I wasn’t prepared to walk.”
EURweb.com: China is giving out some pretty good checks these days and a lot of dudes are going over there for that money.
“If I’m going to do something, especially when I came from playing at the highest level, it’s hard for me to say in my mind that I’m going to go somewhere else. I was really flirting with the idea of it. I was flirting with the idea of going, doing my work to prove that I’m back from injury, and return to the NBA. But I just didn’t have childhood dreams of playing in China. I’m big on my childhood dreams and not lying to that little version of me. I talk to that little version of me like it’s the little homie or something like that. I tell him ‘I’m not going to do you like that, bro. I’m not taking you overseas!’ I saw it happen to Monica (Sanaa Latham) in the movie ‘Love & Basketball’ and I didn’t even like that!”
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