“I can’t remember what his issue was” – Iman Shumpert drops bombshell about LeBron James’ secret surgery post 2015 NBA Finals

Iman Shumpert has turned into one of the best analysts of the 2025 NBA Finals, though he recently dropped a bombshell about LeBron James. Shumpert seemingly revealed that “The King” had a secret back surgery after the 2015 NBA Finals.

Speaking on the post-NBA Finals episode of “The Hoops Collective” podcast, Shumpert and the rest of the crew discussed the 2015 Cleveland Cavaliers team that fell short against the Golden State Warriors. “Shump” explained that they were dealing with a lot of injuries during the series, including James, who had some procedure done on his back before the start of the 2016 campaign.

“To my standard, I don’t feel like we should have lost the first championship in 2015,” Shumper said. “Kyrie hurt his knee, I had my shoulder out of place, JR’s back was messed up, Kevin Love’s (shoulder) was messed up. … I can’t remember what LeBron’s issue was, but I believe he went and got some back operation after that before the next season.”

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Brian Windhorst was surprised by what Iman Shumpert revealed, saying on the podcast that the one-time NBA champion "might have just broken news." Windhorst didn't want to add anything to it and agreed to move past it because it happened 10 years ago.

LeBron James didn't have any problems in the 2015-16 NBA season, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first-ever championship. They battled back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games. Shumpert had a limited role during the playoffs, coming off the bench to provide defense.

LeBron James hypes up Cooper Flagg ahead of NBA draft

While Iman Shumpert and ESPN discussed the 2015 NBA Finals, LeBron James and Steve Nash were hyped about the upcoming draft on the latest episode of the "Mind The Game" podcast. James was happy to see that Cooper Flagg will end up in a good situation with the Dallas Mavericks.

"He has the benefit, unlike myself," James said. "He gets to join a team that's established with Hall of Fame guys, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach (in) Jason Kidd. These guys, they can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be."

When James was a rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his best teammates were Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Carlos Boozer and Ricky Davis. They failed to make the playoffs until his third season.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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