Metta World Peace calls Iman Shumpert best SG in NBA
By Matt Shetler
Oct 9, 2013; Providence, RI, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard Iman Shumpert (21) dribbles the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Dunkin Donuts Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout his career, whether he was Ron Artest or Metta World Peace, a lot has come out of World Peace’s mouth that just makes your jaw drop and you have to scratch your head.
Even though he is wearing a New York Knicks jersey now, things are the same for World Peace.
When discussing who the best shooting guard in the NBA is, World Peace didn’t say former teammate Kobe Bryant, or even James Harden. He didn’t say Dwyane Wade or any of the top guards in the NBA.
No, World Peace called new teammate Iman Shumpert the best shooting guard in the NBA.
“Iman…amazing,” World Peace says in a YouTube video posted by Max Frishberg. “I think he’s the best shooting guard in the league.”
Now I like Shumpert as much as any other Knick fan, but best shooting guard in the league?
If I said something like that, I would likely be forced to have a drug test administered. Maybe World Peace needs the same. Of course the crazy stuff that comes out of his mouth is part of what makes him who he is. For good or bad, you are going to get this type of stuff from World Peace on a regular basis.
He’s almost a sports writers dream. Heck, this is the same guy who thanked his psychiatrist on national television after winning an NBA championship.
However as much as I like World Peace and Shumpert, I’m going to have to disagree with his assessment on who is the best shooting guard in the league.
Shumpert has the skills at both ends of the floor to possibly one day be talked about with the NBA’s best, but he is far from that at this point in his career.
Entering his third year in the NBA, Shump holds a career scoring average of only 8.3 points to go along with only 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in his career. He also has shot only 39.9 percent from the floor and 34.9 percent from behind the arc during his two years in the league. That’s not to mention he came off major knee surgery after his rookie season.
That’s not exactly posting a best of anything resume.
While Shumpert is one of the top defensive guards in the NBA at the moment, he has a long way to go still before showing that he has a competent NBA offensive game. You can make the case that at this minute Shumpert’s offensive game doesn’t rank him among the top half of the starting 2-guards in the league.
We all believe he has the talent to one day get himself in that conversation, but having the talent and bring that talent out are two different stories altogether.
I like the fact that World Peace thinks so highly of one of his teammates, but calling him the best shooting guard in the league is foolish.
World Peace likely wanted to take a shot at Kobe and he did so.
Hopefully Shumpert continues to progress and breaks out this season. If he does, hopefully in a couple of years World Peace’s comments will be right on point.
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