Knicks locked-out rookie Iman Shumpert is writing a periodic diary for The Post about his offbeat transition to the NBA because of the work stoppage.
AS I plan ahead for the future, I must admit it’s starting to get hard to go to practice alone every day. Tonight would have been our season opener — at the Garden no less, against the Miami Heat.
I really would have enjoyed that being my first regular-season game due to the atmosphere it calls for, with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in the house. But I just want to play my first NBA game more than anything. I just want to play.
I do a lot of drill work and make sure to shoot between 500 to 1,000 shots a day and get my conditioning in, too, but I truly miss the up-and-down play against competition.
The trash talk, the hard fouls, and even just hearing the sound of a buzzer going off would be nice. I’ve never heard that at the Garden.
It’s to the point I want to get my close friends referee shirts just so I can hear a whistle blow and disagree with their calls.
I’ve tried to stay positive, but this lockout is taking a toll on me, as well as the fans, the workers, and the other players. I just want them to “free basketball.’’
My mood is definitely beginning to change.
But I want to thank the fans that have been hitting me on Twitter with encouraging words regarding the lockout clouds I’ve had hanging over my head. But I know I won’t be right until this thing is over.
The lone bright spot was enjoying Halloween at home in Chicago. It was dedicated to my nephew Micah.
This weekend he had a Halloween party with family and friends and dressed up as Superman and Thor. Seeing him have so much fun really brought a rare smile to my face this weekend.
On Halloween, I also got a chance to go out to Hammond, Ind., with my family to go to my first haunted house in a long time. I must admit I was scared walking through some rooms that spun and played tricks with your mind with the frightening costumes startling, jumping out as we turned each corner.
You can follow Shumpert on his Twitter account: @I_Am_Iman.