The knowledge and leadership of LeBron James cannot be understated. He has an uncanny ability to channel a winning mindset and know what to do to succeed in the game’s biggest moments. There is no better example of this than when he returned to win a Championship in 2016 with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, defeating prime Stephen Curry and the dynasty Golden State Warriors in the finals despite being down 3-1.
The former guard on that Cavaliers squad, Iman Shumpert, shared a remarkable story of what James told his team when facing the daunting series deficit.
Iman Shumpert Shares Remarkable Story About LeBron James During 2016 NBA Finals
Shumpert covered a range of topics as a guest on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe.
When discussing James’ mindset and what he said to the team during the 2016 finals, down 3-1, Shumpert shared that James laid out exactly what was going to happen, including a Game 7 win.
Iman Shumphert tells story of what LeBron told the team on the bus when down 3-1 to Golden State 😳
“The reason we was so calm, when Bron was on that bus and saying like ‘if we beat them here, then they mindset gonna be this, this, and this, and this is gonna happen, and we’ll… pic.twitter.com/5K60i9Gjte
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 25, 2026
“The reason we was so calm, when Bron was on that bus and saying like ‘if we beat them here, then they mindset gonna be this, this, and this, and this is gonna happen, and we’ll come back and do this, then we’ll come back here for Game 7, and that’s when we send they a** home!’”
Shumpert joked that it was as if James simmed the season on his phone or on NBA 2K. He then also talked about how James broke down everything about the Warriors’ coaching habits, even including pre-Steve Kerr. Then, talking about how they can take advantage of Kerr’s principles on the bus.
“That man had everybody on the bus puzzled, we looking at him, then I start thinking about it, ain’t nobody in this league been through this sh*t more than this man right here. This man knows coaching styles now. This man talked to me about what Mark Jackson had them do, but what Steve Kerr now has them doing, and how we’re going to take advantage of this because this is what Steve Kerr’s principles are.”
It takes a brave man to find a way to take advantage of weaknesses in a Warriors team that won a record 73 games that year, but that’s precisely what James did.
James went for 41 points and 16 rebounds in Game 5. In Game 6, he remarkably dropped 41 points again, and then recorded a triple-double in the deciding game, bringing a championship to his hometown. A remarkable performance from a legend, and a fascinating glimpse into his mindset as told by Shumpert.
