After being traded to the Cavs midseason last year, shooting guard Iman Shumpert flashed lockdown defense, clutch shooting and that high-top fade, while helping the Cavs reach the NBA Finals. The Chicago native will miss the first few months of this season with a right wrist injury, but after a taste of playoff success, he's eager to get back.
On A Mission: Yes, Shumpert wants to be a champ, but a friend with local ties gave him some extra motivation this summer: He wanted to share a championship with his grandparents. "[He told me], 'I want them to see a championship before they go,' " says Shumpert. "It's one of those things I got on my shoulder for the year."
Midwest State of Mind: Shumpert played college basketball at Georgia Tech and was drafted by the New York Knicks, but the Chicago kid is happy to be back in the Midwest. "It feels good to go to the corner store," he says. "I'm used to the corner stores — the 25-cent chips. My family's only five hours away, and I can see them and it makes me feel more grounded."
Trendsetter: As a kid, Shumpert grew out of his clothes so quickly that his parents couldn't afford to keep buying him a new wardrobe. He took cues from his mother, a college professor in fashion design, and altered his clothes — a practice he still follows. "I can look at a shirt and say, 'I don't like it, but if I cut the sleeves, I'll like the shirt,' " Shumpert says. "I don't follow fashion rules, but I would like people to walk with me for a second."
The Nod: Shumpert, who gets his own bobblehead giveaway Feb. 18 vs. the Chicago Bulls, collected them as a kid. "I had the [Michael] Jordan, [Scottie] Pippen, [Dennis] Rodman bobbleheads," he says.
