Shaedon Sharpe Was Asked Why He Didn't Play At Kentucky
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - FEBRUARY 12: Shaedon Sharpe #21 of the Kentucky Wildcats looks on during halftime against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena on February 12, 2022 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
You have to be a really special basketball player to be a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft. Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe fit the criteria.
Sharpe was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 7 pick in the NBA Draft earlier this week. The Western Conference franchise is expecting big things from the unknown star - emphasis on unknown.
Sharpe didn't play a single minute for John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats during his college basketball career. And while his upside is high, his downside could potentially be even lower.
The new Trail Blazer revealed during his introductory press conference on Saturday that he spent his time at Kentucky "getting his body right," indicating he may have been dealing with some sort of injury.
"Getting my body right, getting a little bit stronger, a little bit bigger. My mindset was, get my body right," he said.
Now that his body is right, Sharpe is ready to get to work in the NBA.
The Trail Blazers are expecting the No. 7 pick to be Damian Lillard's new sidekick. That's a tall order for a rookie who didn't play college basketball in any capacity.
Sharpe will don No. 17 for the Trail Blazers next season.
Will Sharpe end up being a star? Or will he become one of the biggest busts in recent NBA history?
