In a surprising and unintentional moment during a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, former NBA champion Iman Shumpert may have let slip a previously unreported detail about LeBron James’ health following the 2015 NBA Finals.
While discussing the physical toll of deep playoff runs, Shumpert casually mentioned that LeBron underwent a “back operation” after the Cavaliers’ Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.
“LeBron’s… I can’t remember what LeBron’s issue was, but I believe he went and got some back operation on that before the next season,” Shumpert said.
The comment prompted a stunned reaction from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who quickly interjected:
“You might have just broken news. We’ll just move past that.”
If true, this would mark the first public acknowledgment of a surgical procedure for LeBron during that period. While it was widely known that James dealt with back tightness and received anti-inflammatory injections during the 2014–15 season, no official reports ever confirmed surgery.
LeBron went on to play 76 games in the 2015–16 season and led the Cavaliers to their historic comeback against the 73-win Warriors in the Finals, earning his third NBA title and Finals MVP.
Shumpert, who played alongside LeBron in Cleveland from 2015 to 2018, has become a popular podcast guest for his candid storytelling. But this offhand remark may have unintentionally revealed a long-kept secret about one of the most scrutinized athletes in sports history.
