On the sidelines at Crypto.com Arena Friday night, Shannon Sharpe was not about to back down, barking at Dillon Brooks, Ja Morant and Morant’s dad Tee.
Monday, back on his Fox Sports show the “Undisputed” (with Skip Bayless), Sharpe was the adult in the room who took the high road.
"I take full accountability for what transpired. I was wrong."@ShannonSharpe apologizes & addresses his altercation at the Lakers-Grizzlies game: pic.twitter.com/RNFBydr5A6
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 23, 2023
“I’ve preached for the last six and a half years responsibility and accountability, and I take full responsibility for what transpired. I’m never gonna 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...
“It does not matter what Dillon Brooks said or how many times he said it. Me being the responsible person, having the platform that I have, and having so many people look up to me, I was wrong. I should have lowered the temperature in the arena. Instead, I turned the temperature up, and I let it get out of hand.”
Sharpe and Brooks had been exchanging words through much of the first half — about Brooks guarding LeBron James — but things boiled over just after the halftime buzzer. That’s when both Morants got involved and security had to separate everyone.
Shannon Sharpe and Tee Morant (Ja’s father) had to be separated by security and refs just after half. Both were escorted off the floor in different directions. pic.twitter.com/sVARl8A1Gw
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) January 21, 2023
ESPN video of Shannon and the Grizz + Tee Morant pic.twitter.com/wSbKc1jLz1
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) January 21, 2023
Both men were escorted away from the court by NBA and arena security, although Sharpe returned to his seat for the second half. He started talking to Brooks again just before play started but referee Zach Zarba came over and ended it. Brooks was asked postgame if Sharpe should have been let back in his seat.
“A regular pedestrian like him? No, he shouldn’t have never came back in the game,” Brooks said. “But it’s L.A.”
LeBron James had Sharpe’s back.
“I ride with Shannon 365 days — 366 on a leap year — 24/7. So that’s my guy,” LeBron said postgame. “I always got his back. And he’s got mine. He can talk with the best of them, for sure.”
Tee Morant and Sharpe made up.
Shannon Sharpe and Tee Morant are all good. They made up after the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/gKzBKItPcN
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) January 21, 2023