His team designed a play with Shaedon Sharpe’s explosiveness in mind.
The guard, who’s among the players with the best NBA odds to be taken first overall, was still only in high school with Dream City Christian. But he showcased the type of athleticism that’s welcome in the professional ranks.
Sharpe, from the right wing, used a screen from a teammate to find open space as he approached the rim. A pass flew his way, well above the rim and anyone who hoped to disrupt what would happen next.
Sharpe elevated to an astounding level and flushed down the alley-oop dunk with one hand.
His path to the NBA may be unconventional, but his potential is unmistakable.
Shaedon Sharpe Draft Odds
Sharpe is tied for the fourth-best NBA Draft odds to be selected first overall at +10000. Jabari Smith of Auburn is first at -225, while Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren is second at +160 and Duke’s Paolo Banchero is third at +1500.
The Orlando Magic have the first overall pick after going 22-60 a year ago. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets pick second and third, respectively.
Name | Position | Team | 1st Pick Odds (6/22) |
Jabari Smith Jr. | F | Auburn | -300 |
Paolo Banchero | F | Duke | +275 |
Chet Holmgren | C | Gonzaga | +400 |
Shaedon Sharpe | G | Kentucky | +10000 |
Jaden Ivey | G | Purdue | +20000 |
Keegan Murray | F | Iowa | +25000 |
AJ Griffin | F | Duke | +25000 |
Johnny Davis | G | Wisconsin | +25000 |
Jalen Duren | C | Memphis | +25000 |
Bennedict Mathurin | G | Arizona | +25000 |
Ochai Agbaji | G | Kansas | +25000 |
TyTy Washington | G | Kentucky | +50000 |
Dyson Daniels | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
MarJon Beauchamp | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
Tari Eason | F | LSU | +50000 |
Jaden Hardy | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
Nikola Jovic | F | Mega Mozzart (Serbia) | +50000 |
Blake Wesley | G | Notre Dame | +50000 |
Shaedon Sharpe Draft Pick Projection
While Sharpe didn’t showcase what he could do at the college level or in the G-League, he could very well end up with the Detroit Pistons at No. 5 overall.
The Pistons were 28th in offensive rating, 24th in defensive rating, 26th in net rating and last in effective field goal percentage. And despite finishing last season 23-59, the Pistons do have hope for the future.
Cade Cunningham, the first overall pick last year, showed glimpses of brilliance. Detroit’s roster is loaded with other young players who could be on their way to developing.
Sharpe would fit in with that dynamic. He also might be a guard best suited to begin plays off-ball, so teaming up with Cunningham may result in an effective complementary duo.
Marvin Bagley punches down the alley-oop from Cade Cunningham 💥
Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/oNU0lN4ZqO
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2022
Shaedon Sharpe Stats
Sharpe was ranked the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2022 by the likes of ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. But he took a unique journey to this point, and pro scouts are mostly relying on his tape from high school and youth basketball camps and circuits.
He graduated high school early and joined Kentucky last January. However, he never played a minute for the Wildcats. At 19 years old, he opted for the NBA Draft.
Sharpe concluded his prep career at Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona. As a junior, he totaled 24.1 points and six rebounds per outing. In the 2021 Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, he tallied 22.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest.
Sharpe is from London, Ontario. For Canada, he played in the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship. His team took silver while he averaged 13 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
Shaedon Sharpe Draft Profile
With a vertical of at least 40 inches, and likely even more, Sharpe often takes advantage with scores on dunks and layups.
Sharpe is athletic, but he’s also acrobatic. With a soft touch on his shots, he finds unique ways to rise up to the air and score despite defense’s dedicating a great amount of focus on him.
Sharpe has compared his game to and emulates Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards. That becomes clear with Sharpe’s dribble moves.
He can use a crossover to gain separation and get a shot off, though he can make shots with close defense anyway. He can also hit shots from deep ranges, making him especially difficult to defend considering his knack for reaching the paint and dunking on opponents.
At 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, Sharpe seems to project at either a shooting guard or small forward. Pro offenses could benefit from his talents at either of those spots.
The question remains how well those talents will translate to the NBA.
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