Shannon Sharpe Addresses the Altercation at Lakers-Grizzlies Game on 'Undisputed'

By Brian Jones

Shannon Sharpe is issuing an apology over an incident that happened over the weekend. While attending Los Angeles Lakers-Memphis Grizzlies game at the Crypto.com area in Los Angeles, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and FS1 host was seen getting into a verbal altercation with Grizzlies players Dillion Brooks and Ja Morant as well as Morant's father Tee. On Monday, Sharpe appeared on his FS1 Undisputed and apologized for his actions. 

"I've preached for the last six and a half years responsibility and accountability, and I take full responsibility for what transpired," Sharpe said. "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."

It was reported that Sharpe and Brooks were exchanging words throughout the first half. But things got more intense at halftime which led to the Morants getting involved. Security had to separate Sharpe and Brooks, and while Sharpe was escorted away, he returned to his seat in the second quarter. He began talking to Brooks again but referee Zach Zarba came over to end it. 

After the game, Brooks shared his thoughts on the incident. "I ain't talking about that. You can ask him. He's the blogger or whatever he is. I don't really care about all that. Next question," he said of Shannon Sharpe, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN (per Basket News). Brooks went on to say that Sharpe should not have returned to his seat. He said: "A regular pedestrian like him? No. He should have never come back in the game, but it's LA."

At halftime, Sharpe spoke to ESPN about the incident. "They didn't want this smoke, Dave," Sharpe said. "They do all that talking and jockeying and I ain't about that jockeying. It started with Dillon Brooks. I said he was too small to guard LeBron. He said, 'F— me.' I said, 'F— you' back. He started to come at me, and I said, 'You don't want these problems.' And then Ja came out of nowhere talking. He definitely didn't want these problems. Then the dad came and he obviously didn't want no problems."

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