Shannon Sharpe is a former NFL player and commentator. He is now a FOX NFL analyst. On Thursday, Sharpe shared his thoughts on LeBron James’ decision to leave Cleveland for Miami.Sharpe lamented that Magic Johnson didn’t call the then-LeBron James when he decided to leave Cleveland for Miami in 2010. In an interview with The Undefeated, Johnson said he made the decision without talking to LeBron. He thought it would be more of a “mistake” if he talked to him because James would “probably go somewhere else.” LeBron James became a two-time MVP and champion with the Heat.
Shannon Sharpe on Twitter
Shannon Sharpe made some interesting tweets about the NBA Finals on Thursday night. The TNT analyst took issue with how the Cleveland Cavaliers were denied a potential game-winning three-point shot in Game 6 against the Golden State Warriors, which would have given them a 3-2 lead in the series. “Magic regretted not calling LeBron,” Sharpe tweeted. “It always comes back to that.” It’s an interesting take on an otherwise predictable championship series. While it’s possible Sharpe was simply referencing Cleveland’s former superstar and current team president, LeBron James, his tweet speaks to a larger sentiment among many NBA fans: that if only one or two players had made different decisions, their favorite team might have been able to win it all.
LeBron James
LeBron James is the best player in the history of the NBA. He has won numerous awards, including five MVPs and three consecutive championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In an interview with NBC’s Magic Johnson, he said that if he was in charge of the Los Angeles Lakers when they played against the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, he would have called LeBron to let him know his presence was required on the floor.
Johnson said “He [LeBron] would have been a fantastic player” on the Lakers and expressed regret over not calling him.
Magic Johnson
Shannon Sharpe, one of the most prolific and respected broadcasters in the NBA, took to Twitter on Thursday evening to express her thoughts on Magic Johnson’s decision not to call LeBron James during the 2016 NBA Finals.
“Magic regrets not calling LeBron – latest news,” Sharpe tweeted. “He knows what it would’ve meant for him.”
Sharpe is correct in her assessment; Magic likely would have received numerous accolades had he made that call. But with his own legacy at stake, Magic made the right decision by standing by his team.
The Lakers
Shannon Sharpe on Twitter: “Magic regrets not calling LeBron – latest news”
Could the Cleveland Cavaliers have been champions if LeBron James had been given a phone call by Magic Johnson in 1996? The Lakers legend regretfully passed on the opportunity and now says he wishes he had made the call. “If I would’ve called him, it would’ve been different,” Johnson said in an interview with ESPN. “I felt like I could’ve groomed him, talked to him about what it takes to be great. He was just scratching the surface of his greatness then. It would’ve been fun to see how he developed over time. But hindsight is 20-20.” If only Johnson took that chance, who knows how history might have turned out differently for James.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA this season, averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game for the Toronto Raptors. The 23-year-old forward has quickly become a fan favorite in Canada, and is now receiving recognition around the league. On Saturday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Leonard recorded his fourth triple double of the season with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Raptors will face off against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday evening in what could be a potential playoff preview. In an interview with ESPN’s SportsCenter on Monday evening Magic Johnson said that he regrets not calling LeBron James when he was coaching the Lakers back in 2004-05. Johnson said that he felt that if he had called James then maybe he would have ended up playing alongside him instead of Kobe Bryant. Kawhi Leonard currently ranks third in MVP voting behind Stephen Curry and James Harden.
Tristan Thompson
In case you haven’t heard, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James recently made some serious waves on Twitter by expressing his regrets over choosing to play for the Miami Heat instead of joining forces with longtime friend and teammate Dwyane Wade in 2010. In an interview with ESPN’s The Undefeated, Thompson said he wishes Magic Johnson had called him about the possibility of joining forces, as it would have made a lot more sense than what happened.
“It would have been dope if Magic Johnson called me,” Thompson told ESPN. “He was my favorite player growing up. Obviously, he was one of the smartest guys in the game and I could tell he loved basketball. So I just think it would have been something special.”
Thompson went on to say that playing alongside James and Wade would have given the Cavaliers a chance to become champions and create some history together. Clearly, Thompson is still upset about what could have been had Johnson reached out to him instead of Wade.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is one of the most popular players in the NBA. He was selected fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2010 NBA Draft and has since emerged as one of the league’s top point guards. In his rookie season, Irving led Cleveland to its first playoff appearance in eight years.
Irving had a breakout sophomore campaign, averaging 25.2 points, 7.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game while leading Cleveland to a 49-33 record and their first Central Division title. He continued his dominance in 2016-17, averaging 27.7 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds per game en route to unanimous MVP honors and an NBA championship with the Cavaliers.
Despite being surrounded by some of the best players in league history (LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson), Magic Johnson said last year that he regrets not calling LeBron James Jr . when he was drafted fourth overall by the Miami Heat in 2003. “I should have picked him,” Johnson said during an interview on ESPN’s “First Take.” “But hindsight is 20/20.”
Since then, Irving has grown into one of the best players in basketball while James has failed to live up to expectations on several occasions (most notably with the Miami Heat). Despite this, many believe that if Johnson had drafted James instead of Irving, the Los Angeles Lakers would currently be playing in the Finals rather than Golden State Warriors .
In 54 games against Golden State this
Latest news
Shannon Sharpe, an NFL commentator and former player, took to Twitter to lament not calling LeBron James when the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals. “Magic [Stein] regrets not calling LBJ when Cavs faced GSW, would have won 4-0,” Sharpe tweeted on Friday. The tweet was in response to a video posted by Grantland’s Bill Barnwell that argued that if Stein had called the game, the Cavaliers would have won. “Had Magic called that series, LeBron James would’ve been drafted No. 1 overall in 2004,” Barnwell wrote in his video.
Magic regrets not calling LeBron
LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He has won countless awards and accolades, including four NBA Championships. And, he is currently playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
But, LeBron may have never won a championship if Magic Johnson had called him when he was just a high schooler. In an interview with ESPN, Johnson said that he regrets not calling LeBron when he was younger and had a chance to sign him.
“I really wish I would have called him,” Johnson said. “At the time, I didn’t think he was ready yet.”
Johnson added that LeBron would have been perfect for the Lakers dynasty that he was part of as head coach. “If we would have taken him then it would’ve been great,” Johnson said. “Maybe we couldn’t have done it right away but by 2000 or 2001, we could’ve put a team together around him.”
It’s impossible to know what might have happened if Magic had called LeBron, but his career is proof that anything is possible in sports.
Conclusion
Shannon Sharpe delivered a powerful message on Twitter about how LeBron James’ decision to leave Cleveland could have been avoided. In his latest column for the Players Tribune, Sharpe details his thoughts on the situation and offers some advice for future athletes who find themselves in a similar position. “I know this much: If I’d called Lebron, he would’ve come to me,” Sharpe wrote. “The Magic would’ve had their franchise player and they could’ve won multiple championships together.” It’s clear that Sharpe has felt some type of connection with James over the years, which is why he believes that reaching out would have made all the difference. If you’re feeling discouraged after watching LeBron’s decision play out on television, give Shannon’s column a read to get some words of encouragement.
