LOS ANGELES — Shannon Sharpe’s combative personality isn’t just for television.
Sharpe was courtside when the Lakers hosted the Grizzlies and got into it with a group of Memphis players just after the halftime buzzer. Everything started with Dillon Brooks, but Ja Morant and Steven Adams joined in, as did Tee Morant, Ja’s father, who was also sitting courtside near the Grizzlies bench.
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.
What was said that started the incident depends on who you asked.
Shannon Sharpe spent halftime in the tunnel with security before returning to his seat for the third quarter. He granted ESPN a brief interview explaining what happened with the Grizzlies on his way to his seat: pic.twitter.com/XZNw6sQhEG
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 21, 2023
Notice Sharpe doesn’t mention Adams; not sure Sharpe wanted that smoke.
“I ain’t talking about that. Ask him. He’s the blogger or whatever he is,” Brooks first said postgame when asked about the incident. However, when told what Sharpe told ESPN, Brooks tried to correct the record, “I told him [LeBron] missed a shot.”
Sharpe returned to his seat for the second half and talked to Brooks again just before play started when referee Zach Zarba came over and put an end to it. Brooks was asked 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.
Tee Morant — father of Ja Morant — tells @NBAonTNT / @BleacherReport he and Shannon Sharpe “are good” and has “nothing but love for him.” Said it’s just two guys from the South talking trash and supporting their teams.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 21, 2023
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
After the game, the Grizzlies players didn’t want to talk much about any of that incident, mostly they were mad at themselves for blowing a lead and losing to the Lakers 122-121, ending their 11-game winning streak.