New York Knicks: 4 Ways for Mike D'Antoni to Maximize Iman Shumpert's Potential

Whenever the NBA resumes it’s regular operations, New York Knicks fans will be looking forward to seeing what rookie Iman Shumpert can do in orange and blue.

Knicks fans in attendance at this past June’s draft didn’t give the guard out of Georgia Tech the greatest welcome after he was taken 17th overall. One possible reason for the mixed reaction was that Shumpert didn’t have the same name recognition as some of the other prospects still available, such as Kenneth Faried or Nolan Smith.

Still, the Knicks front office liked what they saw out of Shumpert enough to use their first-round selection on him.

Head coach Mike D’Antoni even said that Shumpert’s got the athletic ability to guard LeBron James, Derrick Rose or Dwyane Wade.

The one key flaw the Knicks saw in the 6’5” combo guard was his shooting ability. However, after watching his pre-draft workout at their training facility, that concern was alleviated.

Shumpert’s got the potential to become a key contributor for the Big Apple’s basketball squad. Of course, like most prospects, he’ll need his coach to help him reach his ceiling.

Here are four ways for Mike D’Antoni to maximize Iman Shumpert’s potential. 

Allow Shumpert Numerous Opportunities to Play Alongside the Knicks' Superstars

It would be wise for D’Antoni to give Shumpert a fair amount of playing time when at least one of the team’s two superstars is on the floor.

Playing alongside Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire would open up shots for Shumpert.

Plus, those lineups would benefit from the rookie’s presence, since they’ll be somewhat lacking in the defensive intensity department.

If Shumpert’s jump shot continues to progress, teams will become more hesitant to have their defenders leave to go double-team either Anthony or Stoudemire.

In college, Shumpert was known much more for his athleticism and on-ball defense than his jump shot. As noted in the introduction, the Knicks were concerned about his shooting ability until he showed improvement in the pre-draft workouts.

Initially, it’s likely that opponents elect to leave Shumpert open rather than allow either of the Knicks’ stars to go one-on-one. This will give the Georgia Tech alum numerous chances to improve his jump-shooting ability and confidence. 

Allow Shumpert an Opportunity to Play Some Point Guard

In his freshman season at Georgia Tech, Shumpert averaged five assists per game—which was fourth in the ACC.

While his assists went down over the next two seasons, since he was asked to take on more of a scoring role, he’s shown an ability to play the point guard position.

Assuming he’s still around when play resumes, Chauncey Billups will be the Knicks starting point guard. Shumpert could certainly learn a lot playing behind a former Finals MVP in Billups.

If Shumpert can get comfortable playing the position, he’d probably be a better option as the team’s backup over Toney Douglas. While Douglas is a solid option as a backup point guard, he’s a shoot-first player who’s best situated at shooting guard.

It’s true that Shumpert will need to make some major strides offensively before becoming a solid option at the point—especially at cutting down turnovers—but he’s got one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the league to help teach him. 

With Shumpert at the point, D’Antoni could put Landry Fields at shooting guard. This move would certainly help the Knicks’ rebounding, as Fields led all guards in rebounding last season and Shumpert averaged nearly six rebounds per game in his final season at Georgia Tech.

The defense on opposing point guards from last season’s leading steal-getter in the ACC could provide a great boost to the Knicks, especially when they’re matched up against a top-tier floor general like Derrick Rose or Rajon Rondo.

Don’t Be Too Quick to Put Shumpert in the “Doghouse”

Heading into last season, D’Antoni had a lot of praise for Anthony Randolph.

Most Knicks fans could tell you how that relationship worked out—not well!

Randolph did play a fair amount early in the season, but that all changed once he found himself in D’Antoni’s doghouse.

D’Antoni rarely put Randolph out on the floor, even when the Knicks could have used his interior presence.

Hopefully for Knicks fans, Shumpert can avoid a similar fate.

In no way is this suggesting that Shumpert has attitude problems or will butt heads with Mike D’Antoni.

It’s merely a suggestion that Coach D not be too quick to heavily penalize his rookie prospect for making a mistake or disagreeing with a decision. 

Make Shumpert Shoot 500 Jump Shots Nearly Every Day

Iman Shumpert is an extraordinary athlete.  

Iman Shumpert is an excellent on-ball defender.

What Iman Shumpert isn’t, though, is a good shooter.

During his time at Georgia Tech, Shumpert was a career 39.6 percent shooter (30.5 percent from three). Those numbers must be raised in order for him to reach his full potential.

As previously noted, being teammates with two of the NBA’s best offensive players means open shots are almost guaranteed to come your way. If you constantly miss those shots, you will be benched (Landry Fields knows how true that is, after he struggled in last season’s playoffs).

It’s reasonable to believe Shumpert’s been busy improving his jumper during the ongoing lockout, but there’s no limit on how much work a player can put in on his shot.

If D’Antoni stays on his rookie guard to keep improving his weakness, good things will be in store for Iman Shumpert.