On December 22, Beijing time, former NBA player Iman Shumpert criticized the Cavaliers' former teammate LeBron James in a podcast program. He argued that James' decision to join the Heat that year "ruined basketball" and said that while the choice was made out of good intentions, it was disloyal.
In 2003, James joined the Cavaliers as a champion, and after losing the championship for 7 years, he chose to leave as a free agent and formed a super team with Wade and Bosh in the Heat. This move has been questioned by many people, who believe that James lacks the spirit of competition and joins forces with the two super giants in order to get the best chance of winning. Now, even former Cavaliers teammate Shumpert is clearly opposed to James' decision.
"LeBron ruined basketball, he thought he made the sport better, and I understand what he thinks. But I personally think I like the NBA because I think there's loyalty there. He pushed down the fourth wall and thought we (the players) could do what we wanted to do. Of course, from a business point of view, it's great to operate. ”
Shumpert believes that James' decision ruined basketball, but he also understands that James is well-intentioned, he wants players to have the right to decide their own fate, but what he shows makes loyalty irrelevant in basketball. Durant's later decision to go to the Warriors is also seen as a continuation of James' original decision. The rush of superstars to the crown seems to be becoming a trend.
Us media pointed out that considering the previous relationship between the two, some fans were surprised by Shumpert's criticism of James' move. The two won the NBA championship together in 2016, and most recently, Shumpert won the title on "Dancing with the Stars," and James continued to canvass for his votes during his participation and congratulated him on winning the championship.
Do you agree with Shumpert? Do you prefer the NBA with one person and one city, or the NBA with superstars hugging? Welcome to leave a message to express your opinion.