Shannon Sharpe is one of the many people who were left dissatisfied by the response Michael Jordan issued after President Donald Trump backed him while putting down LeBron James.
Sharpe explained on FS1’s “Undisputed” Monday that Jordan’s one-sentence statement about Trump’s tweet wasn’t good enough. The retired Chicago Bulls star made his remark through a publicist Saturday the day after the president tweeted, “LeBron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made LeBron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!”
“I support LJ. He’s doing an amazing job for his community,” Jordan said in response.
“I was disappointed in the response. It’s so far removed… I believe if President Trump would have said, ‘There’s some dumb reporter that’s sitting down with an athlete and making him look smart, which is very hard to do,’ a simple response might have been in order,” Sharpe explains on-air. “But President Trump didn’t do that.”
Sharpe said since Trump named James and Lemon by name, he felt Jordan should have mentioned the Commander-in-Chief by name also.
“And it should also be equally as harsh,” he says. “This is the one time, Michael. You have a ‘criticize, get-out-of-free’ jail pass because of what Donald Trump said about Don Lemon, what he said about LeBron James, given his track record over the past year what he’s said about other prominent African-Americans. And you chose, you support LJ? You support him as what? As a father? As a family man? What exactly are you supporting?
“Michael wants to swim, but he doesn’t want to get wet … And everybody [says,] ‘Michael Jordan comes to Lebron’s defense.’ With this statement? That’s not a defense.”
Sharpe went on to say that the statement was “as close to nothing as you could possibly get” and slammed Jordan for the framing of his comment, attempting to make it personal by referring to James as “LJ.” Sharpe additionally noted that he has “an eye for an eye” mindset in this scenario.
In response to Sharpe’s comments, fans chimed in on different sides of the equation.
“I totally agree with you @ShannonSharpe. His lack of enthusiasm is yet another reason why @KingJames is the GOAT. @KingJames is socially responsible and it is admirable.”
“MJ does not have let the world know his political decision nor his feelings. Grownup and stop riding LEBRON. It’s painful to watch.”
“Shannon I’m with you, most people are just prisoners to MJ; they see no wrong in him!!”
“Until he stop calling that muthafcka ‘president,’ I don’t wanna hear it. 45 will suffice in context.”
"I was disappointed in Michael Jordan's response. … Michael wants to swim, but he doesn't want to get wet." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/6ZjkdSE6RP
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 6, 2018
