Back in 2023, WWE legend Ric Flair appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast Club Shay Shay, where the two shared mutual respect during a deeply personal conversation. Sharpe asked Flair about everything from his legendary wrestling career to the struggles in his personal life. Flair even opened up about surviving a horrific plane crash. But three years later, Sharpe’s latest comments suggested he may have forgotten just how serious that crash really was. And The Nature Boy couldn’t let that pass.

“Hey @ShannonSharpe & @ochocinco! My Airplane Crash Wasn’t Choreographed,” Ric Flair wrote on his X post. “Broke My Back In 3 Places, And They Said I Would Never Wrestle Again. 250 to 180 Pounds. I Was Back In The Ring 6 Months Later At 218 Pounds. I Said Luka Had As Good A Shot As Anyone In The League Even Steph Curry. I Mean, Come On Guys…”

Earlier this week, Flair decided that he had seen enough when the Los Angeles Lakers went 0-3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. With the Lakers staring at elimination, Luka Doncic remained sidelined due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Flair then took to social media and argued that Doncic should suit up and help the Lakers fight through the series. But while Flair had “no sympathy” for Doncic’s injury, Shannon Sharpe rejected that stance.

“Someone needs to remind Ric that the NBA court isn’t a wrestling ring and this stuff isn’t choreographed,” Sharpe said on the latest episode of his Nightcap podcast.

Without Doncic, the Lakers have lost by an average of 19.3 points against the defending champions. That explains why Flair wants him back on the team despite the injury concerns. But after facing backlash for criticizing Doncic, Flair just clarified that his remarks came from personal experience dealing with devastating injuries at a young age.

Back in 1975, a 26-year-old Flair survived a plane crash while traveling to a wrestling show in Wilmington. The plane crashed roughly 100 yards from the runway at New Hanover Airport. The accident left Flair with three fractures in his back, and doctors told him he would never wrestle again.

But before the crash, Flair had already started building momentum as a future top star for Jim Crockett Promotions. He also dreamed of becoming the N.W.A. World Champion. So, Flair really could not afford to sit out for a full year to recover and risk losing everything he had worked toward. As a result, Flair pushed himself relentlessly and returned to the ring after only six months. Even then, the comeback did not come easily. 

The Nature Boy wrestled five straight nights for an hour before finally taking his first bump after the crash. Then, throughout his wrestling career, Flair cracked his C5/C6 vertebrae, broke his ankle, and suffered countless other injuries. Yet he continued performing for nearly 50 years before officially retiring in 2022. 

The 77-year-old comes from an era when athletes had to fight through adversity whenever possible. That mindset explains why he expects Doncic to show similar toughness while dealing with his injury. Shannon Sharpe, however, continues to stand firmly behind the Lakers star.

Shannon Sharpe backs Luka Doncic even amid his injury issue

Back in March, Luka Doncic got into a heated exchange with Goga Bitadze during a tense game between the Lakers and the Orlando Magic. The argument escalated quickly, and some slurs were thrown with mentions of family members, resulting in both Bitadze and Doncic receiving technical fouls. After the game, Shannon Sharpe warned Bitadze not to speak badly about Doncic and his family. 

“You have got to be careful talking about people’s girls and wives,” Sharpe said. “I know Luka’s not married and had some issues with his mom. We know what he’s going through with his co-parent. I understand all of that. But at the end of the day, you have to be careful how you talk to someone about their family.”

Now, the latest issue with Doncic is a Grade 2 hamstring injury that he suffered last month while playing against Oklahoma City. He reportedly traveled to Europe for specialized treatment and initially expected an eight-week recovery timeline. But while he has resumed running, doctors still have not cleared him for full contact. As a result, he has been ruled out for Game 4 against the Thunder.

But all the medical reports haven’t stopped some NBA analysts from questioning the reality of Doncic’s injury. Some even suggested Doncic exaggerated it to avoid returning during a likely blowout loss. Sharpe completely rejected that idea.

“Look, I don’t think Luka is faking,” Sharpe said. “Luka doesn’t strike me as that guy. They asked him to come in better shape. He got in better shape, and he stayed in shape throughout the year. He just has a hamstring issue.”

Ultimately, Doncic risking his long-term health to play a series that the Lakers are going to lose, regardless, is really not worth it. A fully healthy Doncic in October matters far more than rushing him back now only to make the injury worse. And even though Ric Flair and other critics might not see this bigger picture, Sharpe clearly does.