From Ja Morant’s jabs to Dillon Brooks’ confrontational stance, the Memphis Grizzlies have developed a reputation for being the new kids on the block with an attitude. If we’re honest, their sensational play has shown they can walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Yet, some haven’t quite acquired the taste including LeBron James and his associates.
Where context is concerned, it’s not insignificant that the Lakers’ last title – 2020 – and subsequent demise preceded the Grizzlies’ first seat at the table of contenders in the NBA. Indeed, it was just around that time that Memphis announced itself to the league as a team that wasn’t just there to make up numbers. An apologetic new generation of top talent on one side, and an established crop of players on the other.
Then came January 2021. The teams were engaged in a fierce battle and with the clock winding down, LeBron James was given the ball with Dillon Brooks in tow.
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Without getting into details, it was this moment where Shannon Sharpe’s “too small” comment became synonymous with Brooks, and an entire archive of memes was sparked on social media after the Hall of Famer excexchangedrds with the entire team from the sideline.
Shannon Sharpe was at #Lakers #Grizzlies and got into it with Dillon Brooks, calling him too small to guard LeBron, before getting into it with Ja and Ja’s dad Tee. Shannon told Tee, “I bet you you won’t,” before being escorted out. He would eventually return and make up with Tee pic.twitter.com/Kucql7oPWB
— uSTADIUM App (@uSTADIUM) January 21, 2023
Let’s skip to January of 2022 – apparently, the new year doesn’t suit these two – and we saw a now solid Grizzlies playing in LA against a very much below-par Lakers. Following a solid 3-point conversion, the Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane appeared to give James a body check, which the icon didn’t take kindly to. James then returned the favor on the next play and so it went until later James was overheard in a less than kind back and forth with the Grizzlies. Needless to say, the rest of the game wasn’t much better as seen by James’ aggressive dunk on Jaren Jackson Jr.
