Iman Shumpert Quotes

I think when I started playing against some of the best guys on the AAU circuit, I started to look at myself and say, ‘I am one of these guys.’

I was called fool’s gold. That’s what I was called in the draft combine. That’s how I remember it. I took it personal.

My high threshold for pain will allow me to battle through pretty much anything if I find a way to run and slide.

I’m a Kanye fan.

I wanted to go the NBA and win a championship because I’ve never seen a grown man cry the way Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan cried when they won a championship.

I’m playing basketball. It’s my dream job. So I’m a pretty happy camper.

Back home, if you get scored on, you’re the weak link. When I started getting good, they were like, ‘If you’re going to play on our team when we go play pick-up, and you start getting scored on, we’re not going to let you play anymore.’ I started learning how to help other people out with my defense.

Keep feeding yourself with positivity.

I’ve been doing music for the longest time.

Off the court, I think people will like me.

Because of what I’ve saved, I don’t really have a lot of worries about money.

My job is to pay attention to the feel of the game and always add a positive energy to it on my team through the ups and downs of the game.

My music, you know I’m not lying about anything, and the way you can tell is how in-depth I can get about everything I’m talking about.

Since I entered the league, half of my checks have always gone into a separate account… I pride myself on doing that. I’ve done it no matter the size of my contract or salary.

I’m not making music to get played in a club.

In Chicago, growing up there, that’s how we played. You play for something more than just yourself. You play to win, and that’s all that really matters.

I always enjoyed writing.

I’m a taco guy, so I like Mexican food, and any form of a taco, I’m going to eat it. During the season, I’ll make it a grilled chicken taco. But after the season, give me a regular beef taco and fill it to capacity. I need meat, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, pico de gallo, and everything you got.

Everybody in this league waits on an opportunity when you don’t play the starter minutes, when you don’t play the type of minutes you want. And with each given opportunity, you got to be ready to come out and perform.

I make sure I do a lot of core work in my training.

I can go toe-to-toe with somebody with my shoes. But you can’t do it with LeBron, ’cause what shoe does he not have?

I’m a Type A person who doesn’t want to get stuck in any one type of workout. I need a variety of things to stay interested, and that way, you make sure you get the most out of yourself.

To me, rapping is an art.

Rap isn’t that time-consuming for me, compared to an ordinary artist. I do not stay in the studio all day.

Everyone will say something about confidence or something if you miss a couple shots. You’ve just got to keep shooting.

Some people read. I like to put words together.

With Cleveland, I think they did a great job in knowing what their team needed, and when I came, I just did my job, and they fully embraced me.

As long as we win, I’m happy.

I feel like I can defend three different positions: point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards who don’t want to play too much in the post.

I like art; if I could just draw pictures all day, I would, but I can’t; I’m horrible. I practiced at it, still didn’t get better – gave it up. I’m good with words, though, so I write music, poetry; sometimes I just journal in my phone.

I have respect for everybody in the league.

You should dress so that somebody remembers you.

My father, my first coach, would never let me punk out if I was capable of helping the team.

People sometimes think that if someone plays basketball, they have to do that one thing they’re great at. But I like being able to show that you can do more than one thing and do it at a high level.

When I was growing up, I didn’t really have a lot of different things I could wear. As I got older, the more I could look different on an everyday basis, the better.

I believe all men that are desired by masses of women due to looks, drive, and character are all more than likely to be seeing multiple women (Rightfully so if they are single).

It don’t matter who scores; we just got to win.

I just write verses. I don’t write all day long. When I have something that needs to be said, I just write it down on my notepad in my iPhone.

My worst day, I’m just going to try and smile.

I can’t have people always having their opinions floating my way.

My brother’s been cutting my hair since I was in 7th grade.

Usually, if I do a good job in the plus/minus category, I know I’ve had a good game.

When you have a lot of communication, it picks up the aggressiveness with everybody on the court.

A lot of people celebrate the ’80s. I was a ’90s guy. The best music, and basketball, was at its high in the ’90s, with all of the best players, playing the best style of basketball in that era, and Michael Jordan winning six rings in the city I grew up in.

The NBA actually encourages balanced living. Realistically, basketball only takes up about six hours of your day before it becomes counterproductive.