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Former NBA champion Iman Shumpert arrested on felony cannabis charges

Shumpert reportedly caught with more than six ounces of cannabis at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Shumpert, who was en route to California, was reportedly worried about missing his trip to visit his daughter before he was placed under arrest. /
Shumpert, who was en route to California, was reportedly worried about missing his trip to visit his daughter before he was placed under arrest. / Photo by Iman Shumpert Instagram

Former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Iman Shumpert has reportedly been arrested on cannabis charges.

The 6’4” guard, who won an NBA Championship alongside LeBron James as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, last played in the league in 2021.

According to TMZ SportsShumpert, 32, was arrested at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with 6.12 ounces of cannabis, or about 170 grams.

Cannabis in Texas remains illegal for recreational purposes. Possession of up to four ounces (113 grams) is a misdemeanour, while anything about that amount and below five pounds (2.3 kilograms) is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a US$10,000 ($12,900) fine, per the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Citing the police report, Shumpert also had a Glock magazine and 14 9-mm rounds in his bag, but no gun, per TMZ.

Shumpert, who was en route to California, was reportedly worried about missing his trip to visit his daughter before he was placed under arrest.

On social media, some responded to the news by wondering why Shumpert, who earned around $50 million over the course of his career, would pack cannabis for a trip to California, where recreational cannabis has been legal since 2016.

Regardless of a state’s cannabis laws, though, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a federal agency and US airspace is federal jurisdiction. Ace a federal agency, the TSA is required to flag cannabis possession to local law enforcement.

Since concluding his playing days, Shumpert starred in the 30th season of Dancing with the Stars, where he was partnered with US dancer Daniella Karagach. Shumpert is the only NBA player to qualify for the finals of the show and to win the competition.

Shumpert and his wife, singer and choreographer Teyana Taylor, also starred in the VH1 reality television Show Teyana and Iman.

Earlier this summer, NBA player Montrezl Harrell, who last played for the Charlotte Hornets, was arrested on felony charges after he was found to be in possession of 1.4 kilograms of cannabis during a traffic stop in Kentucky.

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