Overview
- Shumpert said he was "forced to hate" LeBron James out of devotion to Carmelo Anthony during his early Knicks years.
- He explained he was "trained to be Melo's homie" and felt social pressure not to befriend James despite their stars' longtime rapport.
- After joining Cleveland in 2015, Shumpert said playing with James quickly shifted his perspective because "he's just out there making it easy for you."
- With the Cavaliers, Shumpert averaged 6.5 points and earned minutes as a three-and-D wing during the 2016 championship run.
- The remarks were made public Monday in a Club Shay Shay interview and reported by outlets including Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report.