2022 NBA Draft: Who are the 10 best prospects in this draft class?
2. Shaedon Sharpe – Kentucky Wildcats
6-4 198 lbs. 6-11 WS
22.6 ppg 5.8 rpg 2.7 apg (2021 EYBL stats w/ U Play Canada)
Shades of: Vince Carter, Bradley Beal, Paul George
Banchero is 1A of my favorite players in the draft (also happens to be who I think is the best), Sharpe comes relatively close on both ends of those spectrums. Sharpe has God-gifted talent on the basketball court. Even though he never touched the court in his brief time playing at Kentucky you can sense from the amount of clips (if you don’t have access to the exclusive gameplay) that he is really talented. It’s almost as if it was boring to him; effortless to some degree.
Sharpe is somewhat of a mystery to the casual fan due to him not playing at Kentucky. The hype of him joining midseason as the former #1 player (according to On3) brought a lot of attention. Spurning the rest of his high school career to play/learn under Coach John Calipari. His goal is ultimately to be an NBA player. Skipping some of the organic steps to get to the league rubbed a lot of people wrong. Yet, Sharpe is that good to be in the position he is in right now.
Sharpe is a dynamic refined wing that can operate on all cylinders. Coaches can be comfortable with him running as the primary scorer. He could be the focal point of an NBA team. A player that can get a bucket in any situation, from any different level on the court. Smooth advanced offensive package that isn’t phased by defensive pressure. Explosive or acrobatic depending on what is given by the defensive look at the rim. Sharpe actually posted the highest vertical leap ever recorded in NBA history at 49 inches.
The oozing combination of both athleticism and skill makes Sharpe the real deal. Due to being multifaceted on the offensive end, I think defenders will have trouble figuring out specific ways to limit the production. We’ve seen in the past, rookies who can come in, have the greenlight on offense to maximize their offensive skills.
Offensive production is inevitable for Sharpe. The concerns for him, besides making the “jump” from high school to the pros, is the question of his motor on both ends, defensive skills on and off the ball, and the tightness of his dribble. I don’t have serious worries that it’ll hinder him as a player.
He carries along the same line of concerns as Banchero; meaning he has all the makings of being the best overall player from this draft. Teams should do their due diligence on Sharpe to see if he fits the billing as a top (overall) pick.