When Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors, everyone said that ruined the league. But a former teammate of LeBron James has dismissed those statements and said it was actually The King who ruined it by leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in 2010.

Iman Shumpert is a former NBA champion who is currently a free agent. He is known for his time at the New York Knicks and also the Cavaliers. He was part of the historic 2016 championship-winning team that ended the 50-year-long drought for Cleveland. Shumpert was recruited by LeBron and the Cavs for his defense and shooting. And he did his job really well as he went to the NBA Finals for three straight years.

READ MORE: Heated Debate Erupts on Live TV as Millionaire Analyst Goes Ballistic Over GOAT Debate Changes Post Warriors’ Dream Season: “Stephen Curry Is the Greatest Shooter. But What Is Kevin Durant? Chopped Liver?”

Iman Shumpert blasts the hypocrisy of Kevin Durant while blaming LeBron James for ruining the league

Shumpert has previously said that LeBron ruined basketball in 2010. When asked why he said that, Shumpert said, “The statement was that Kevin Durant ruined the league when he went to Golden State. And I was saying, well technically no. Bron ruined it when he left Cleveland, and went to Miami and joined forces with Dwyane Wade. Because we was all like, that was the first I had ever looked at something like, ‘Woah that’s cheating.'”

WATCH THIS STORY: How Kevin Durant has made millions with underrated investments off the court? 

He said the only other time something like this had happened was when Chris Paul was sent to the Lakers to join Kobe Bryant. But the NBA refused to allow it and David Stern vetoed the trade. But when LeBron joined Miami, there was nothing the league could do about it. And this is what inspired the likes of Kevin Durant.

Top Stories

Lakers’ Gabe Vincent Dishes on LeBron James, Luka Doncic’s Sacrifices, Role on the Team and More (Exclusive)

Respect Pours In for Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley After $200,000 Announcement

Calls Mount Against NBA Refs After Stephen Curry Wrongfully Punished vs Timberwolves

Arrest For Shaquille O’Neal’s Stolen Range Rover Made But More Bad News Awaits

Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins Announce Injury Update After Months of Battle

Durant had stated in the past that he would never do something like that. But seeing an all-time great pull off the same move and join forces with other superstars, Durant was inspired by it, and he went to Golden State. And according to Shumpert, if not for LeBron leaving Cleveland, there were not a lot of things that might have happened. LeBron did something which was never done in the past and he set forward a precedent for other teams and players to follow.