Knicks shooting guard Iman Shumpert pulled out of this weekend’s NBA All-Star dunk contest Wednesday in a move that was expected following a knee injury.
Shumpert, a rookie from Georgia Tech, injured his left knee against Dallas on Sunday. He played only 19 minutes in that game and then sat out on Monday against the Nets.
It is unlikely he will play tonight against the Hawks either though no final decision had been made. He is officially listed as day-to-day, though the Knicks have just tonight’s game and Thursday’s at Miami before the break.
Shumpert was a surprise inclusion in the dunk contest, but many speculated it was done in order to get Jeremy Lin into the festivities after it was announced he would “assist” Shumpert in the contest. Lin was later included in the Rising Stars Challenge.
The NBA named Jeremy Evans, a second-year forward from Western Kentucky, to replace Shumpert. Evans is averaging just five minutes and 1.7 points per game this season for the Jazz.
Evans joins Houston’s Chase Budinger, Minnesota’s Derrick Williams and Indiana’s Paul George, who were named last week.
