Shannon Sharpe Gets Called Out For Believing JaVale McGee Is On The Mavericks

Shannon Sharpe has yet again tasted the hardship of being an NBA analyst. In a recent turn of events, the 55-year-old mistakenly called JaVale McGee as a part of the Dallas Mavericks roster. During the aftermath, Mavs fans showed no mercy toward the former NFL star, calling him out openly for the error.

A Mavs fan account displayed the initial annoyance with Sharpe’s blunder. Expressing frustration with his confusion, the supporter wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Shannon (outspoken Mavs critic) just said JaVale McGee is on the Mavs“.

Shannon (outspoken Mavs critic) just said JaVale McGee is on the Mavs 🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/DV7gcrYT9S

— MFFL (@Mavs_FFL) May 20, 2024

The situation circled Sharpe’s comments during the preview of the upcoming Western Conference Finals between the Mavs and the Minnesota Timberwolves. While highlighting how the former could utilize their big men to dominate the paint, the analyst shed light on McGee’s presence. “If I’m not mistaken, I think JaVale McGee is also with the Mavericks,” he announced on ESPN’s First Take.

However, Sharpe corrected his error shortly after, stating, “Nah, he is not there”. But, by this time, it was already too late for him. His initial statement drew negative attention from the Mavs fanbase, devaluing his status as an analyst.

Supporters also disliked the nonchalant reaction of Sharpe’s co-panelists. Neither Stephen A. Smith nor Kendrick Perkins made an effort to correct their colleague, amplifying the resentment of the Mavs fans.

The fanbase united on X to voice their anger with the entire situation. One of the Mavs followers mentioned, “Holy s**t this is so embarrassing”.

holy sh*t this is so embarrassing

— LONG LIVE ARSON JUDGE/Sabres fan by default (@bufnyy161st) May 20, 2024

Another questioned his knowledge of the NBA while highlighting the potential misuse of the abilities given to him. The fan stated, “Dudes a Joke can’t believe people like him vote one things like MvP”.

Dudes a Joke can’t believe people like him vote one things like MvP

— Justin (@beckDawg34) May 20, 2024

One supporter in particular called out the entire ESPN panel in the process of raising question mark over their credibility. “They know nothing about us and still choose hate,” the follower mentioned.

https://twitter.com/MontaMuse/status/1792683081314578444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Even though the mistake seemed a minor one at the surface level, to the passionate Mavs fans it certainly meant a lot. And, on this occasion, it’s hard to blame them for it. Not only did McGee leave Texas in August last year, but he also represented their conference rivals Sacramento Kings throughout this regular season.

Additionally, his rocky relationship with the fanbase also played a major role in the situation escalating to this extent. Ahead of the semi-finals, the analyst had wholeheartedly backed the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Mavs. He frequently refused to provide the latter with an upper hand in the series, raising the eyebrows of their supporters.

So, in a way, this scenario presented the fans with the perfect opportunity to seize their revenge. Undoubtedly, they have done exactly that within just a few hours of the clip surfacing in the mainstream media.

It marks yet another controversial yet memorable instance in the NBA as the heat of the playoffs continues to the league’s peripheral figures.