Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are the type of NBA players to leave a lasting impression on anyone. These two Celtics titans did so on one rookie player who would go on to play for 10 seasons and win an NBA championship. They made this young athlete feel noticed at the start of his career and make him aspire to be like them.

Iman Shumpert got candid about his career on his recent appearance on All The Smoke. He dished on all the players he met during his career, from Paul Pierce to Kobe Bryant. But it was Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett who gave rookie Shump a boost of confidence.

Iman Shumpert recalled the impact of Celtics legends

Georgia Tech alum Iman Shumpert entered the NBA in 2011 as a rookie on the New York Knicks team. He’d win his only NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and left the NBA in 2021. He would go on All the Smoke to talk about his vibrant career recently and the fellow players who molded him.

In his rookie year, the Knicks guard would face off against the Boston Celtics on the court. That pit him against titans like Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett who were on the team that time. That could be intimidating to any rookie.

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The ‘Shump’ narrated his hilarious reaction when he met Ray Allen for the first time. As a newbie, he was a little shy but also wanted to get noticed. That moment came when Ray Allen stopped his shooting routine to approach him and welcome him into the league.

“That’s Jesus!” Shumpert exclaimed to the hosts about seeing Ray Allen in the flesh. Allen saw him, warming him, and extended a welcome which left the rookie starstruck.

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Shumpert was fresh off the scout report and yet to make a mark. But at that point, to be “seen” by a legend made him exhilarated. “I gotta be somebody,” Shumpert relived the feeling.

The Shump experienced the most ruthless NBA players

In the same podcast, Shumpert narrated the ruthlessness the late Kobe Bryant showed on court. Black Mamba, like a man possessed, would overwhelm the young Knicks player in just one quarter.

That’s not the first or last time Shumpert experienced some on-court viciousness. If you recall your NBA history, a spectacular moment was when a rookie Iman dunked on Kevin Garnett.

He met the Celtics star in his rookie year, the same as Ray Allen. He’s also got firsthand experience of KG’s trademark trash talk. However, when it came to the actual game, Garnett left Shumpert in awe of his skills and the ability to carry the team.

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A good few young athletes already see an idol in Iman Shumpert. But seeing his own rookie self come out while talking about his idols was something fans loved watching on All the Smoke.