Magic Johnson was HIGHLY AGITATED by Ant-Man's MJ comments 👀 - Shannon Sharpe | First Take

and Edwards still making headlines Edwards told wsj when it comes to the Michael Jordan era they say it was tougher back then than it is now but I don't think anybody had skill back then Michael Jordan was the only one that really had skill this sparter responds from Lakers Legend Magic Johnson who said that he doesn't respond to anybody that hasn't won a championship and hasn't won a championship at the high school level or the college level are Magic's comments fair or foul Steph they're Fair he's a five-time champion universally recognized as the greatest point guard in the history of basketall um I love Anthony Edwards he's one of my top two favorite players in the game and I'm praying he wins a championship because seeing this brother on national TV and the national Spotlight is something that is beautiful for basketball fans everywhere but when you come out with a statement that you know what the really the only skilled player was Michael Jordan that's flagrantly disrespectful to the old God uh Larry Bird wasn't skilled to Magic Isa Isaiah Thomas was one of the greatest skilled guards in the history of basketball Magic Johnson was 69ine a 69 point guard we had never seen anything like him and one of the things that I pay attention to Shannon is that I'm very apt in bringing up the fact that if it were not for the pioneers others wouldn't be what they are there's no way that you didn't mirror your game after somebody when you were in root to a Hall of Fame football career before there was Dr J there was Connie Hawkins for crying out loud before there was Michael Jordan there was Dr J okay before you know before there was Vince Carter there was MJ okay before you know I mean Kobe Bryant and stuff like that came later so I look at it from that standpoint and I'm of the mindset wait a minute here you know you know I don't like that you can't say something like that but the other thing that I would say is this understand how profound Magic Johnson's statement was when when I was interviewing him at this event last week what he said also applies to Charles Barkley it applies to the Patrick eings of the world it applies to Shan Kemp of the world or Paul even today the Paul georgees of the world the Russell Westbrooks of the world uh and the James hardens of the world and various others so magic didn't sit up there and just say today's generation he said anybody who hasn't who's played but hasn't won a title don't get to get my attention as to who I was or who anybody was that actually won championships you know what I'm saying in terms of measuring our skill level because because he's highlighting there far more that goes into it than what the human eye just sees on the basketball court Stephen A I've known Magic Johnson 30 years not as well as you know him right I was shocked with the veracity in which you said what he said because normally magic is a lot more diplomatic he's a lot more PC now behind the scenes it's a whole different argument but he's a lot more diplomatic he's a lot more diplomatic for him to take that tone in the harshness in which he said it lets me know he was highly agitated by what a said now Stephen A it's hard for me to sit here and as we was talking about with de uh uh with do just a minute ago Evolution happens these guys they have better training they have better nutrition and they have the Advent Advent of having saw what those guys did and studied those guys it's hard for me to believe that the inventions today are not better than some of the adventures we had TW 30 years ago that just happens do I believe the players as a hold there are more skilled players that can do multiple things aim elijahwan was highly skilled you still I don't not so sure that we've seen a big man that can dominate both ends of the Court like he could the man did a quadruple double they took one quadruple double away said it was it was faulty he went back and got another one two days later so that just shows you the skill level yes bird was skilled magic was highly skilled yes but as a whole Stephen A it would be hard press for you to say having covered the game as long as you have to say that there are not more skilled players guys that can shoot dribble and do multiple things today than they were 20 30 years ago if is not true because the guys have gotten better the guys have practiced more the guys have uh coach better their nutrition is better guys work out harder the training yes but for for Antman to say that Mike was the only skilled player and when you had Isaiah you had birdie you had Elijah one no bro Adrian Dantley was skilled yeah okay let let's be very very clear about Charles Barkley is one of the greatest forwards in the history of basketball we can have we can we can knock him for not but but that's right I mean sea Kemp that wasn't skill you understand I'm saying I mean I mean Gary pton that wasn't skilled I mean think about this I mean listen I go back to Mark Price For Crying Out Loud out of Georgia Tech that was playing in Cleveland all of those years that brother wasn't skilled Allan Houston wasn't skilled Larry Johnson wasn't skilled Ying wasn't skilled I mean wait a minute now I mean there was a whole bunch of Ballers there was a whole bunch of cats that were playing that were very skilled this skill level might have elevated now but would you have known what to be Ant-Man if it were not for the Pioneers that had paved the way that giving you a visual of what you could be that's where it emanates from and that's what we got to remember I'll just remind everyone he started with the quote saying that I never saw any of these guys play so I mean it's kind of much to do about nothing when you think of well just because just because you don't see well see that's why you shouldn't say that because you see that's what I'm saying he kind of contradicted himself work exactly before before he continued with statement if you saw the entirety of the quote right there you go right and the thing is uh Stephen A mly is that when you look at it maybe some of the rules but the way the guys can shoot the basketball Stephen you you have been at games early and you watch these guys the 13th guy on the bench can just flat out shoot the ball they guys those guys go 10 15 shots and don't miss a shot and they shooting from 20 22 25 ft away it's crazy the way they can shoot the basketball yes the rule Chang it yes Stephen they don't let you the uh uh the hand check below the line the for they used to put your let you put your forearm in some of the rules but the guys the way Luca and the way joic and the way these guys can the skill level is just off the chart but and you can't say because you didn't see it that doesn't mean they weren't skilled yeah absolutely we'll leave it there falling in the forest because you didn't hear it it didn't make a sound up [Applause] [Music] [Applause]