Quotes from Iman Shumpert

I feel like I can defend three different positions: point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards who don't want to play too much in the post.

Since I entered the league, half of my checks have always gone into a separate account... I pride myself on doing that. I've done it no matter the size of my contract or salary.

I never said to myself, 'Get to the NBA, be an All-Star, make a $100 million contract.'

The NBA actually encourages balanced living. Realistically, basketball only takes up about six hours of your day before it becomes counterproductive.

I express myself through song when I can't let people in on my thoughts otherwise. I need the creative process.

I'm a taco guy, so I like Mexican food, and any form of a taco, I'm going to eat it. During the season, I'll make it a grilled chicken taco. But after the season, give me a regular beef taco and fill it to capacity. I need meat, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, pico de gallo, and everything you got.

I don't want the attention. I want the respect.

I would like to walk in a room and people know who I am and be like, "Oh, I respect his opinion."

I respect them [Amar Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony or Dwyane Wade], but would I dress like them? No.

I like art; if I could just draw pictures all day, I would, but I can't; I'm horrible. I practiced at it, still didn't get better - gave it up. I'm good with words, though, so I write music, poetry; sometimes I just journal in my phone.

I've started most of the time I've been in a Knick jersey, so I just think they want me to bring a certain energy every night. They want me to bring that defensive presence because they know I can make something out of nothing on defense, and I think they just want me to bring that defensive presence every day.

Truth is, none of us professional athletes are ever 100 percent healthy. We just decide what we're going to tape up and push through without making it worse.

When I was growing up, I didn't really have a lot of different things I could wear. As I got older, the more I could look different on an everyday basis, the better.

When I was growing up, all my cousins had high-top fades. I thought it would be cool to see how long I could grow a high-top.

My father, my first coach, would never let me punk out if I was capable of helping the team.

I think I am a good help defender as well as just bringing a lot of communication to the floor.

I was called fool's gold. That's what I was called in the draft combine. That's how I remember it. I took it personal.

There are certain guys that are obviously a lot more talented than myself and a lot of the other players in the league, but... once you gotta play against me, all that's out the window.

A lot of people celebrate the '80s. I was a '90s guy. The best music, and basketball, was at its high in the '90s, with all of the best players, playing the best style of basketball in that era, and Michael Jordan winning six rings in the city I grew up in.

Usually, if I do a good job in the plus/minus category, I know I've had a good game.

If an athlete plays the guitar, they say, 'That's so cool, he can play the guitar.' But if a guy raps, they say, 'Please don't be another rapper,' only because the rappers are so bad. I promise I'm not anything like that.

I like Batman, I like basketball, and I like to rap.

The way I rap isn't about me boasting. Rarely will I do that.

I think, a lot of times, the mistake in music - even rappers that are trying to be big time - if you're broke, rap about being broke. If you're sensitive, rap about being sensitive, 'cause there are other sensitive people. If you're sensitive, but you talk about being a tough person that doesn't care about anything, people will call your bluff.