Shannon Sharpe is one of the best NFL commentators that we have today. He has a wealth of knowledge, and he’s not afraid to share it with the world. In this latest tweet, Shannon shares his disappointment that Magic Johnson didn’t call LeBron James when the Cleveland Cavaliers were trailing by 15 points in the NBA Finals. Magic’s decision may have cost him his chance at an NBA championship, but Shannon has a message for all of us: learn from your mistakes.
Shannon Sharpe on Twitter:
On Thursday, Shannon Sharpe voiced his opinion on the recent news of LeBron James not being called for a potential goaltending violation in the Cavaliers’ victory over the Magic. The former NFL player took to Twitter to share his disappointment with the decision, writing: “Magic regrets not calling LeBron. Ugh.”
Shannon Sharpe on Twitter:
Sharpe, who retired from the NFL after the 2009 season, has been following professional and college sports since childhood. When LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, Sharpe was one of the first people to take notice on Twitter.
Sharpe often tweets about sports and his opinions on them. In July of this year, he tweeted about Magic Johnson’s decision not to call LeBron when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. “Magic regrets not calling LeBron – latest news,” Sharpe wrote.
Shannon Sharpe on Twitter:
On July 10, 2017, Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “Magic regrets not calling LeBron- latest news.” This tweet was in response to a SportsCenter report that Magic Johnson had said he wished he’d drafted LeBron James instead of Michael Jordan.
Why Magic Johnson didn’t call LeBron James
According to Shannon Sharpe, Magic Johnson regrets not calling LeBron James when the two were playing together in Cleveland. “He loved LeBron and he thought he was going to be one of the all-time greats,” Sharpe told ESPN. “Magic is extremely remorseful that he didn’t reach out to him.”
Johnson’s decision not to call James may have ultimately contributed to the superstar’s decision to leave Cleveland for Miami in 2014. Reports say James felt disrespected by Johnson after the then-Laker president said he would have been “the No. 1 pick” if he was white. The two reportedly never spoke again after that incident.
Nonetheless, Sharpe believes that Johnson still has a good relationship with both James and Dwyane Wade, who also played under Johnson during his time as coach of the Miami Heat. In light of Nike’s recent release of a LeBron shoe bearing Johnson’s likeness, Sharpe suggested that perhaps their relationship has healed since those early days in Cleveland.
What could have happened if Magic Johnson had called LeBron James
If Magic Johnson had called LeBron James in the 1997 NBA Draft, the two would have combined for five championships and been one of the most iconic professional basketball duos of all time. Instead, LeBron was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Magic went on to win three straight titles with the Lakers. If Magic had made that call, it is likely that both players would be household names and basketball fans all over the world would be discussing their dynasties. Instead, Magic regrets not calling LeBron and has spoken about it at length in recent interviews.
“I should have called him,” Johnson said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I just felt that I could do better than him.”
Johnson explained that he didn’t think he was good enough to take on LeBron at the time. “He was so dynamic,” Johnson said of James. “My thinking then was, ‘This guy’s going to be a superstar.’ He wasn’t even playing AAU basketball yet! So I thought I could do better than him.”
Despite his reservations, Johnson admitted that if he did call out James now they “could probably compete against each other” because they are both so accomplished now.
