The Trail Blazers select Shaedon Sharpe, an athletic shot-making guard who possesses massive potential.
Prospect Overview
Athletic shot-making guard was the top prospect in the high school class of 2022 before reclassifying and enrolling in college mid-year. Possesses massive potential but has not seen game action since a club event last fall.
About Shaedon Sharpe
Sharpe is a prototypical scoring guard with great athleticism and shot-making potential who took a unique path to eligibility for the 2022 NBA Draft. The London, Ontario native emerged as a prospect averaging 13 points and 2.3 assists per game at the 2019 FIBA U16 Americas Championship before moving to Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) ahead of what was due to be his sophomore year of high school.
Moving to Dream City Christian Academy the following year, Sharpe saw his profile rise over the course of the 2020-21 prep season before he solidified himself the consensus top prospects in the high school class of 2022 by averaging 22.6 points over 28.3 minutes per game with UPlay Canada in the Nike EYBL. Suiting up for a couple club games in October, Sharpe found himself in relatively uncharted territory as he was able to move from the high school ranks to Kentucky mid-year and ultimately declare for the 2022 NBA Draft. Never actually checking into an NCAA game, the Canadian guard is untested against elite competition but has no shortage of talent making him one of the more enigmatic high-level prospects in recent history.
• Measured standing 6-foot-5.25 in shoes with a 198-pound frame and a 6-foot-11.5 wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, Sharpe has ideal size for a shooting guard to go along with an impressive blend of fluidity and leaping ability.
• An explosive athlete with a very promising shooting stroke, Sharpe’s ability to finish emphatically in transition and get to his pull-up in a variety of ways off the dribble made a force at the high school level. Showing more fluidity and skill with the ball than a lot of players in his mold at the same age, he possesses tantalizing potential as a shot creator but has plenty to prove with regards to his consistency and decision-making at the highest levels.
• Possessing the tools to hold his own defensively long-term, Sharpe has some catching up to do on the that end at the next level given how significant his physical advantages were at the prep level.
Advanced Stats
• With his last competitive action coming in the Nike EYBL and preseason Top Flight Invite, Sharpe has a uniquely sparse sample of games for scouts to work from — even among the rare preps-to-pros prospects in the one-and-done era. Even so, he averaged 1.00 points per possession over 23.3 possessions per game for UPlay Canada providing a memorable glimpse into his skill level.
• Smooth and skilled with the ball in his hands, Sharpe created his own shot prolifically in the open floor and around the rim at the prep level. Averaging 1.03 points per transition possession [69th percentile], his leaping ability stands out in space, but his ability to protect the ball weaving through traffic and finish was part of what made him so productive as a prep player.
• Attacking the rim with solid footwork and ball handling ability, Sharpe often overwhelmed outmatched defenders in the prep game. He also displayed a very intriguing knack for getting to pull-up jumpers with nearly two-thirds of his field goal attempts coming from the perimeter in the half court last year. Able to elevate into his jumper from NBA range off a variety of hang dribbles, hesitations and step back moves, Sharpe flashed significant potential as a perimeter scorer. Averaging 0.91 points per jump shot [84th percentile], his consistency stood out among his peers though he would sometimes hunt deep jumpers in lieu of taking less physical defenders to the rim.
• Doing a good job taking care of the ball but creating few shots for others as a passer, Sharpe has the talent to become dangerous offensive weapon at the highest levels. But, he will need to gain experience operating out of ball screens to reach his ceiling. He’d also benefit from finding more consistency as a spot-up shooter and as a drive-and-kick threat as he begins to pick up sets, learn spacing and mature in the NBA.
Defensive Analysis
• With all the tools but little experience playing high-level defense, Sharpe is a bit of a blank slate on that end of the floor. Flashing some instincts in the passing lanes in the EYBL and a willingness to rebound on the prep circuit, he looked more intent to make an impact defensively sometimes than others.
• The 19-year-old guard figures to face a learning curve early in his NBA career as he tries to pick up the nuances of guarding off the ball and adjusts to the league’s physicality and athleticism.
— Profile by Synergy Sports
