Knicks locked-out rookie Iman Shumpert is writing a periodic diary on his offbeat transition to the NBA because of the work stoppage. His twitter handle is @I_Am_Iman.
This week was time for another getaway, so I hopped on a plane and came to New York. I finally got a taste of the Garden and played a lockout charity game in Connecticut.
Staying in Times Square, I had a great two-day stint.
Walking around Times Square was as appealing as the first time I’d seen it. The bright lights, the fast-paced city walking, and the guys trying to persuade me to go inside a comedy show.
I got a chance to check out the St. John’s game against Arizona at the Garden last week, but it became bittersweet. In my mind, I was supposed to be playing, not going through the door and getting my ticket scanned.
All in all, I salute the St. John’s team and am going to have to root for the Johnnies as they hold down the Garden court I’ve been longing to play on since the Knicks drafted me.
Friday night, I headed out to Bridgeport, Conn., to play in another charity game for us locked-out players. The people who came out — maybe 2,000 — provided us plenty energy with cheers and competitive boos.
I decided to sit out the last part of the game after going up for a dunk and feeling an awkward pain in my knee. I could have kept playing, but decided just to ice it to ensure I was OK. Nothing major. I think it was due to not warming up at half because I was hanging out with fans and doing photos and autographs, which is partly why we were there.
Some of the many participants were Tyreke Evans, Sam Young, Josh Selby, Wes Mathews, Nolan Smith, Howard Thomkins and Travis Leslie. My team won, 171-169.
The best part for me was getting a chance to connect with more Knicks fans praying for a season! It was a great turnout.
The last couple days, I’ve spent time in the studio where Tupac was shot — Quad Recording Studios in Midtown. Definitely a magical feeling in that sort of work environment. I did a collaboration with Billz, an up-and-coming, unsigned Brooklyn artist.
This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for. The lockout has given me a chance to for once have a lot of down time to spend with family and friends.