Former NBA champion Iman Shumpert finds himself at the centre of controversy after a tense late-night incident at his Atlanta, Georgia, home. The ex-Cleveland Cavaliers guard, known for his defensive prowess and being a teammate of LeBron James, was accused of assault by a social media influencer. However, police investigations led to no charges being filed against the athlete.
A Tense Late-Night Dispute
Atlanta police were summoned to Shumpert's residence in the early hours of November 26 following reports of a verbal argument. The call came in at approximately 4:37 a.m., with officers arriving to find Shumpert placing a suitcase outside his house. The dispute involved a woman identified as Joanna Donnejour, who also goes by the name Joanna Kim, an influencer with around 52,000 Instagram followers.
According to a police report obtained by TMZ and body camera footage, Donnejour claimed that Shumpert had physically assaulted her. She alleged that during an argument, Shumpert "dragged her by her wrist and foot towards the stairs" after she confronted him about speaking with another woman present in his room. In the footage, Donnejour is heard questioning, "Is that lawful? … To be dragged by your hands and your feet?" She expressed her intent to press charges, stating Shumpert had hit her.
Conflicting Accounts and Police Investigation
The situation, however, presented conflicting narratives. Shumpert informed the authorities that he had repeatedly asked Donnejour to leave his property. Crucially, another woman present at the scene provided a different account to investigators. This witness stated that Shumpert had asked Donnejour to leave the room multiple times. When she refused, he grabbed her wrist to escort her out, but the witness emphasised this was "not done in an aggressive manner."
The police examination proved pivotal. Officers reported finding no obvious marks, bruises, or injuries on Donnejour's body. With the conflicting witness statement and a lack of physical evidence, the decision was made not to pursue charges against Iman Shumpert. Officers remained on the scene until Donnejour departed the premises. As she left, she reportedly told Shumpert, "See you in court, and on Instagram in the morning."
Shumpert's Career and Recent Personal Struggles
The incident casts a shadow on what has been a difficult period for the 33-year-old former athlete. Shumpert had an impressive NBA career after being selected 17th overall by the New York Knicks in the 2011 NBA Draft. He earned a spot on the 2012 All-Rookie First Team and was a key role player for the Cleveland Cavaliers team that won the 2016 NBA Championship alongside LeBron James.
His professional journey ended abruptly in 2021 after brief stints with the Brooklyn Nets. His personal life, once private, has faced public scrutiny in recent years. Shumpert finalised his divorce from singer and actress Teyana Taylor in 2014. This recent alleged altercation marks another challenging chapter. Shumpert later commented that, thanks to police intervention, the matter was resolved quickly. Joanna Donnejour has not made any public statements following the incident.
