New York Knicks 2013 Player Profile: Iman Shumpert


Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The basketball maturation of Iman Shumpert is an exciting prospect for the New York Knicks and their fans. He is immediately recognized as the man with the most ostentatious high-top fade since Big Daddy Kane. Thus far in his young career, we have seen him explode to the rim, get hot from long range and admirably guard such apex players as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade effectively.

Drafted in 2011, Shumpert averaged nine points, three rebounds and nearly three assists a game during his rookie campaign but suffered a catastrophic knee injury during the 2011-12 playoffs. He would return and play 45 games during the following season but did not seem to be his same explosive self until later in the season. It showed in his production as well. Iman would average only six points per game last season. He appears to be working feverishly to expand on his versatility and even played on the Knicks’ Summer League team to work on point guard skills such as ball handling and court vision. The possibilities are endless. He can slide over to play small forward despite being small relative to the league average; he can play shooting guard and would be a point guard nightmare from a physical/athletic standpoint.

With a clean bill of health and a hunger to play a full NBA schedule for the first time in his career, Iman is well on his way to being a key fixture for the Knicks for a long time to come.

Ricardo Hazell is a freelance sports writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter at NikosMightyDad or add him to your network on Google Plus.


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