Former NBA champion makes television history
A former player has gone from the top of the NBA to the top of the airwaves.
Ex-Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Iman Shumpert qualified for the finale of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” on Monday. Shams Charania of The Athletic notes that Shumpert becomes the first ever former NBA player to do so.
Shumpert, who is still only 31, played just last season for the Brooklyn Nets as a ten-day contract player. He won a championship with the Cavs in 2016. As for his bid on “Dancing With The Stars,” Shumpert went viral in previous rounds for his unique routines with partner Daniella Karagach. One such routine inspired by Jordan Peele’s film “Us” scored a perfect 40/40.
GOTTA SEE IT ð¥
NBA free agent Iman Shumpert and his partner earned a perfect 40/40 score on "Dancing with the Stars" for their mesmerizing routine, inspired by Jordan Peele's "Us" https://t.co/Gyswuexa3V
— The GIST USA (@thegistusa) October 27, 2021
Former NBA players like Charles Oakley, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have appeared on recent seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.” But none have ever come close to making the final round. A few years ago though, a former athlete in a different sport managed to win it all.
Photo: Erik Drost/Flickr via CC-BY 2.0