NCAA Basketball: 4 intriguing players to watch for 2022-23 season

Jamarion Sharp – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Flying under anything isn’t exactly easy for the tallest player in college basketball. At 7’5, Sharp presents a post threat like no other. He averaged 4.6 blocks per game; tied for the best mark in the country with former Auburn big Walker Kessler who is on his way to the NBA draft. In his junior season with the Hilltoppers, Sharp started 28 games averaging 8.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game to go along with his blocks.

While his best asset is rim-protecting, Sharp has shown he can move up and down the floor surprisingly quickly for someone his size. He is also a high lob threat, able to quickly spin-off of a defender and catch the ball around the rim before throwing down a dunk (well, more like placing the ball in the basket). He has also demonstrated an ability to close out mid-range and even three-point shots moving quickly from the paint to perimeter to contest.

The Hilltoppers can do more with Sharp than just stick him on the opposing team’s largest player. Rather they can rely on him to be an elite often multi-level defender. Watch out for WKU as a threat out of the Conference-USA, which did well to keep Sharp out of the hands of some of the larger conference teams.