Shannon Sharpe Apologizes to Lakers And Grizzlies For Causing Altercation: ‘I Was Absolutely Wrong’
Fox Sports host and NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe apologized for instigating an altercation at the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers game.
On Friday night, Sharpe sat courtside at the Grizzlies-Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and as the game headed for a commercial timeout in the second quarter, Sharpe began to shout at the Grizzlies’ players. Dillion Brooks, Steven Adams, Ja Morant, and Morant’s father, Tee Morant, all approached Sharpe, who would not back down and continued to shout at them. Arena security had to escort Sharpe from his courtside seats before a physical altercation occurred, and Sharpe was allowed to return to his seat at the start of the third quarter.
On Monday, Sharpe — speaking at the top of his Fox Sports show, Undisputed — gave an unequivocal apology for his actions.
As you have probably have heard, or have seen, Friday night at the Lakers game, I want to apologize for my behavior. You know, guys, I have preached for the last six and a half years, responsibility and accountability, and I take full responsibility for what transpired. It does not matter what Dillion Brooks said or how many times he said it. Me being the responsible person, me having the platform that I have, and having so many people look up to me, I was wrong.
I should’ve lowered the temperature in the arena. Instead, I turned the temperature up, and I let it get out of hand, and I want to apologize to a few people. First of all, I want to apologize to the Lakers organization. Jeanie Buss (Lakers owner) the Buss family. I apologize for any harm, any unwanted attention that I brought to your organization. I want to apologize to the fans that were in attendance and the fans that watched on television because that’s not what you paid for, and that’s not what you tuned in to watch.
Shannon Sharpe should’ve been mentioned as someone that was at the game, not someone that let his emotions run high and get out of hand during the game. I want to apologize to the Memphis Grizzlies. Grizzlies organization and fans, I am sorry. More specifically, I want to apologize to Dillion Brooks. He is a fierce competitor and seeing him up close, I get a sense of why he is what he is, and how he’s wired the way he’s wired. Bro, I apologize. I wish you the best of luck the rest of the season and continued success.
Ja, it was a privileged and an honor to watch you up close and personal. Skip (Bayless) and I talk about you a lot of times, but to see what you do. The way you’re able to elevate, lead the fork and torque your body and finish at the rim is unbelievable and extremely impressive, and I want to apologize to you.
Sharpe also apologized to Lakers star LeBron James for being a harmful distraction throughout the night. The Undisputed host apologized to his own family as well and wanted his apology on the record so his grandson can look at the video one day to understand his apology was sincere.
One day you’re going to be old enough, and you’re going to see what transpired in that arena, but I also hope you get an opportunity to see this apology I’m giving because I was wrong. And I’m never going to be too big to say I’m sorry. I’m never going to be too big to say that I was wrong, and in that situation, I was absolutely wrong.
And Sharpe also apologized to his employer, Fox Sports, for casting a negative light on the company.
No one should have to trend because of something that I did. So I want to apologize to anybody at Fox or FS1 that’s had to answer questions on my behalf. “What happened to Shannon? Why was Shannon doing this?” I’m sorry, I apologize. I am not perfect; I am not. And I am never going to say, “that wasn’t Shannon Sharpe,” because that was me. That was just me getting out of character, and I’m sorry for all those that saw my actions and took offense to my actions, I am sorry.
Watch above via Fox Sports 1.
