The NFL Hall of Famer has Laker-fever.
Or maybe it’s Luka-fever.
It’s probably both, but either way, Shannon Sharpe is just about ready to hand LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Apparently he’s seen enough.
Coming off the Lakers and Luka Doncic‘s dominant performance against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, Sharpe doesn’t see a threat to the purple and gold in the loaded Western Conference.
Not even the 46-10 Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sharpe appeared on ESPN’s First Take on Monday and left his colleagues, Stephen A. Smith and Tim Legler, in shock with what he had to say.
“I’m going to put it to you like this here,” Sharpe said staring directly at the camera.
“OKC, KFC, UFC, Lakers in five.
“With Luka playing like that, we got GOAT James, it don’t matter. It don’t matter.
“Bron James, Luka Doncic, Lakers in five.”
“He’s speaking like a fan now,” Legler responded.
“You better get drug tested,” Smith said.
“Something wrong with you. Stop that nonsense. That’s ridiculous.”
Sharpe then went on to repeat himself, mocking OKC and doubling-down on his ‘Lakers in five’ prediction.
Doncic had his best game as a Laker, going off on the Nuggets with 32 points, ten rebounds and seven assists.
He even added the patented Doncic primal scream to his performance.
It was exactly the type of game head coach JJ Redick had been looking for, out of his newly acquired superstar.
He had mentioned before the game that he told Doncic that he wanted him to have a ‘blackout episode’ where he ‘screams at no one in particular.’
“That’s the Luka I know,” Redick said.
“That’s the killer.”
Redick got his wish and he now has the Lakers soaring up in the standings.
In their last 18 games, they have the league’s best record at 14-4 (34-21 overall), to go along with the No. 1 defensive rating and No. 8 offensive rating.
If the Lakers play like they did on Saturday night against a potential playoff series with the Thunder, Sharpe’s bold prediction may not be so bold after all.
