:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70903608/1240726275.0.jpg)
It’s not easy to succeed at the NBA’s highest level, and many of the players that have reigned over the league these last several years have been top-ten picks.
Think Kevin Durant or LeBron James for players that had talent that was impossible to pass on, unless you’re the Trail Blazers. The same could’ve been said about Shaedon Sharpe, who is an extremely athletic 6-foot-5 guard.
He is the No. 3 player in the Class of 2021, although having not stepped foot on the court for Kentucky. His time in Lexington was disappointing, to say the least.
Sharpe committed to the Wildcats back in late summer 2021. Sharpe enrolled with the Cats in January, not playing in the team’s deep SEC Tournament run nor in the NCAA Tournament.
Much of what happened with Sharpe can be attributed to his camp and how they wanted to handle the situation.
Well, it seems these advisors are starting to worry scouts regarding the risks that are associated with drafting a player like this.
Scout B on Shaedon Sharpe:
— Rafael Barlowe (@Barlowe500) May 23, 2022
“I wouldn’t take him in the top 10. It’s too small of a sample size. Someone’s gonna get burned.”
Scout C on Shaedon Sharpe:
— Rafael Barlowe (@Barlowe500) May 23, 2022
"He barely practiced at Kentucky. Didn't want to play in games and he didn't want to play at combine. Who's advising him? He can't hide forever. Does he want to play in summer league?"
Note: Frustration was more at Sharpe's advisors not Shaedon
Sharpe has been widely mocked as a top-10 pick, but when it comes to being a top-10 pick, you either need an ultra-high upside or a relatively high floor.
The thought process is that Sharpe has the former, but with so little to go on, it’s a huge risk. Missing time, which he didn’t necessarily have to, was a concern of another scout.
Scout A on Shaedon Sharpe:
— Rafael Barlowe (@Barlowe500) May 23, 2022
"I’m not a big fan of pro days but we have to watch and see guys like Sharpe. You can see he has all the tools, great body, he’s athletic and can shoot it. But he hasn’t played and that scares me."
These scouts make good points, but at the end of the day, the Wichita, Kansas product may have such a high upside given his athleticism and shooting that he could, without a doubt, still be a top-10 pick.
Nonetheless, there are obvious concerns, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see him slip when the 2022 NBA Draft rolls around.
Loading comments...