Iman Shumpert had high hopes for himself after the New York Knicks drafted him in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft. However, the guard didn’t have his way on what followed, leaving him regret to this day.
The Knicks’ first-round pick laments that he didn’t make his wishes known to the organization. He wanted to play point guard, but the franchise made him play in a position that wasn’t his first preference. Shumpert played the majority of his NBA games as a shooting guard and small forward.
During his appearance on The All-In podcast, Shumpert regrets that he didn’t advocate for himself enough and didn’t dare to request a trade.
“If I could tell my youngest self something, I’d have told myself to be a diva,” Shumpert said. “I should have thrown my hands up and down like, ‘No, y’all need to trade me somewhere I can play point guard.'”
This by no means suggests that Shumpert is not grateful for his career. It’s just that when the former NBA champion looks back, he feels his “personal development suffered.”
Iman Shumpert says he wishes he had demanded a trade earlier in his career from the Knicks because they stunted his growth as a point guard 👀
(🎥 @allinhq_ / https://t.co/xSk518Hwpp) pic.twitter.com/jWLcTpLHkL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 12, 2025
Why Iman Shumpert never fully became a point guard?
When Iman Shumpert first came to the NBA, he was seen as a “3-and-D” wing/guard. The Knicks saw more upside in his ability to guard multiple positions rather than orchestrating plays. Shumpert’s 6-foot-5 frame also didn’t help. This made him more valuable as a defensive wing. That’s why coaches used him in a small forward or shooting guard role.
Moreover, by the late 2010s, teams started to shift to positionless basketball. Unless you are a top scorer of the team or average in the 20s, the possibility of being given the ball to handle was rare.
During his four seasons with the Knicks, Shumpert averaged 7.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 202 games.
