Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Imam Shumpert told Complex.com that if the Cavs win another NBA championship he intends to refuse any invitation to visit Donald Trump’s White House.
Shumpert also called President-elect Donald Trump “crazy.”
In a long interview, Shumpert answered a range of inquiries into whether he has a stylist, if he owns the best sneaker collection on the Cavs, and last but not least, if he owns a lot of crop tops.
Shumpert eventually fielded a question with a smidge more substance than “What about the matching kilts?” Complex asked, “People started boycotting New Balance after the company seemed to voice support for Trump. Kanye West recently said he would’ve voted for Trump if he had voted. Would you still wear Yeezys?”
Shumpert answered, “I understand people’s stance on Trump. I can’t get caught up in the racial, sexist bullshit he’s got going on. That’s his personal thing, ya dig? But I just don’t think he can make anything shake like that. He not finna start no civil war out here.
“I do think he’s crazy—straight up. I think he did that stuff to get people to think he’s willing to shake it up. But did I vote for him? No. The other stuff that comes with him, I can’t get with. But now that he’s here, I’m not finna drag my feet. I gotta work here, at least until the offseason, if I wanna go get a crib in the Islands.”
Asked whether or not he would visit Trump’s White House, should the Cavs win another title, Shumpert said, “I’m not going to the White House.”
The interview included a question about Phil Jackson’s comments in reference to LeBron James, his friends, and business partners, specifically whether or not Shumpert found Jackson’s use of the word “posse” offensive. “I think Bron would bust Phil Jackson’s ass,” he opined. “If Phil Jackson was in his prime, playing basketball, Bron would bust his ass. I’m glad Phil Jackson got the rings for Chicago. You traded me away from New York, cool. It’s all business, it’s all love, whatever.
“But I’m a grownup now. You not my hero no more. The Bulls era is gone, Mike is gone, Pippen is gone, you ain’t coaching the Bulls no more. So, I don’t care what you got to say about ’Bron. I don’t know how conscious he was of that word upsetting LeBron the way it did, but I understand why ’Bron’s heated.”
The Cavaliers remain heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference. If the Cavs can get past Golden State, we just might find out if Imam Shumpert gets left off the White House invite list.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn