Iman Shumpert Wins ‘Dancing With the Stars'; Becomes First Former NBA Player to Take Home Mirrorball Trophy
Months after competing on the dance floor, Iman Shumpert became the first former NBA player ever to win "Dancing With the Stars" on Monday.
Iman Shumpert Adds Dancing With the Stars' Mirror Trophy Beside his NBA Title
According to CBS Sports, the 31-year-old former NBA champion Iman Shumpert beat out finalists JoJo Siwa, Cody Rigsby, and Amanda Kloots to take home the coveted mirrorball trophy. Shumpert and his professional partner Daniella Karagach scored a perfect 40 out of 40 on both of their final dances.
The former NBA guard was visibly emotional when he won in the competition.
Aside from the record of winning the mirrorball trophy, Shumpert was the first professional basketball player ever to set foot on the final stage of the competition. The competition only saw a few stars in the world of basketball, and he was only the seventh to appear on the show.
Iman Shumpert Joins Emmitt Smith as Only Athletes to Win Mirrorball Trophy in 'Dancing With The Stars'
Athletes were fairly common within the "Dancing With the Stars" universe, and Shumpert was not the first athlete to win the title. American football running back Emmitt Smith won the third season of the show. Another American football player Jerry Rice also got the runner-up in the second season.
Other notable athletes also competed in the show, including boxers Evander Holyfield and Floyd Mayweather; and American football players Warren Sapp, Michael Irvin, and Lawrence Taylor.
Iman Shumpert was part of the Cleveland Cavaliers squad who won the NBA title in 2016 in an unbelievable comeback.
The Cavs made a historic run after they defeated the Golden State Warriors, who held the record of most team wins in a single season. The Warriors finished the regular season with a 73-9 record, beating the previous record set by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls of 72-10.
Even though he did not produce good numbers at the record books, the Warriors still remembered the defense that Shumpert gave them during the finals series. He made the games hard for guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, courtesy of his lockdown defense.
However, despite his performance showing that he was still at the peak of his powers as a dancer, Shumpert's NBA career is currently on life support. The former champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers played only two games last season with the Brooklyn Nets and remained unsigned this NBA season.
Despite being known as a stellar defender, his inconsistency in shooting made him vulnerable to the athletic decline, especially due to his age and injuries.
However, Shumpert did not need a steady 3-point shot to compete on "Dancing with the Stars." His athletic background gave him a leg up on the competition, and the former NBA player used it to great effect as Dancing With the Stars Season 30's winner.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Iman Shumpert's Cha Cha / Foxtrot Fusion - Dancing with the Stars
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