Shannon Sharpe issues apology for his behavior in Lakers-Grizzlies game / News - Basketnews.com

Shannon Sharpe apologizes to Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies organization, fans, his family, and particular players such as Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and LeBron James.

Credit: AP Credit AP

NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe was at the epicenter of attention on Friday night when he got into heated exchanges with the Memphis Grizzlies players and Ja Morant's father, Tee Morant, at Crypto.com Arena.

Player of the Game EFF 28 Dennis Schroder Points 19 Accuracy 4-11 Rebounds 8 Assists 8

Everything escalated right after the second-quarter buzzer sounded in the Lakers-Grizzlies game when Sharpe said Dillon Brooks was too small to guard LeBron James.

Both persons then exchanged curse words, and referees and security had to intervene to cool off the conflict, which involved more and more individuals.

After a couple of days, Shannon Sharpe admits his mistake and takes full responsibility for his inappropriate actions in the NBA game.

"I want to apologize for my behavior. I've preached for the last six and a half years responsibility and accountability and I take full responsibility for what transpired," he started.

"It does not matter what Dillon Brooks said or how many times he said it. Me, being a responsible person, me, having a 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 go out of hand," he continued.

"I want to apologize to a few people. First of all, I want to apologize to the Lakers organization: Jeanie Buss, the Buss family. I apologize for any harm or unwanted attention that I brought to your organization.

I want to apologize to the fans that were in attendance and fans that watched on television because that's not what you pay for, and that's not what you tune in to watch.

I want to apologize to the Memphis Grizzlies organization and fans. I am sorry. More specifically, I want to apologize to Dillon Brooks. He is a fierce competitor and seeing him up close, I get a sense of why he is who he is and how he is wired the way he is wired. Bro, I apologize. I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season and continued success," the current Fox Sports commentator said.

Sharpe also apologized to his family, Ja Morant, and LeBron James "who had to support him in something like this."

"I also want to apologize to LeBron James, because y'all know how I feel about him and he's supported me through thick and thin," Sharpe said of James. "I'm sorry that I put you in this situation."

Last but not least, Sharpe said he is not too big to say sorry to people who were affected by his behavior.

"I am never going to be too big to say I am sorry. I am never going to be too big to say that I was wrong. And in that situation, I was absolutely wrong. ... I am not perfect, I am not, and I never going to say that was not Shannon Sharpe because that was me. That was just me getting out of character," he concluded in Undisputed Podcast.

Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.