Iman Shumpert, a former NBA player and member of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 championship team, recently opened up about the challenges of playing alongside LeBron James. While acknowledging LeBron’s greatness, Shumpert admitted that being his teammate came with significant pressure. He described the experience as something that “sucks” because of the constant demand to win and the high expectations placed on everyone around James.
“To give it context, yes, it does suck,” Shumpert said. “There’s a ridiculous amount of pressure that comes with it because you have to be in a win-now mindset every time you play on his team. He is always expected to be at the top.”
Shumpert played a key supporting role on the Cavaliers during their historic 2016 championship run, helping the team win its first NBA title. That season, he averaged 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Despite the success, Shumpert emphasized that the mental and emotional strain of keeping up with the expectations surrounding LeBron made the experience particularly demanding. His comments highlight the intense atmosphere that follows James and the burden that teammates often carry when playing in such a high-stakes environment.
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