Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe will declare for the 2022 NBA draft and intends to go pro, forgoing his remaining college eligibility, sources tell Shams Charania and Kyle Tucker of The Athletic (Twitter link).
There had been some question as to whether Sharpe, who will turn 19 next month, would be eligible for the 2022 draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony confirms (via Twitter) that he graduated from high school in May 2021 and says his diploma will be sent to the NBA league office. Givony first reported in January that Sharpe would be able to apply for this year’s draft as an early entrant.
Formerly the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 high school class, Sharpe reclassified and joined the Wildcats in January for the remainder of the 2021/22 season. Head coach John Calipari announced in February that Sharpe wouldn’t play at all in ’21/22, and Kentucky’s plan at that point was to have him make his college debut in ’22/23.
Instead, Sharpe will go pro without having played a single college game. While that will create an air of mystery around him as draft night approaches, NBA scouts and evaluators are extremely high on the young guard’s potential based on what they saw from him before he arrived at Kentucky. ESPN ranks him as the No. 6 overall player on its big board for 2022.
According to ESPN’s Mike Schmitz, Sharpe has an impressive 6’6″ frame, solid instincts, and NBA-ready shooting to go along with improving play-making. The 18-year-old is still learning how to best utilize his talent and lacks high-level experience, so he’ll have to get accustomed to playing within a system on both ends of the court, but Sharpe’s physical tools make him a potential top-five pick, Schmitz writes.
Players should be eligible for the NBA draft right after high school already.
What is the point of forcing these athletes to take one year of college at least? For their education?
They only have making to the league on their mind.
Better non-college options are being developed and players are opting for them. As they pay more, more players will be enticed to follow those paths making the one and done less and less frequent. Having said that Oscar T from UK is set to make about $2 mill next year via the NCAA’s NIL rules so would this entice lower 1st Rd or 2nd rounders to stay in college longer to cash in? I agree with Papi Dada to get rid of the one year out of high school rule and let the free market decide as there are a lot more options for high school graduate BBallers than there used to be.
Yes actually one year on campus would greatly improve the execution of societal leadership that will be thrust on all NBA players virtually automatically.
Hardly a tough ask. But it is already not necessary, so no need for any should-be.
Now are these school-skippers doing as well as their HS ranking? Anfernee Simons is RFA this offseason, an early test of money valuation..
I think pro experience does about the same honestly. College isn’t so unique anymore that we should be trying to funnel players to an exploitative system.
Couldnt agree more
Well played Sharpe. Well played!
Calipare should have just played the kid. Maybe he wouldn’t have lost to a 15 seed.
Calipari
We’ll…at least he was a helluva practice player at UK!
Sharpe has some serious fans (not limited to the typical AAU B-boys). I haven’t seen him play.
Whether he drops to them, or not, it helps the Knicks that he’s in the field. With the UK connection (+/-), they’ll know about him.
On HS highlight video… effortless mover including upwards. Curry-like deftness… I bet he even falls down well.
But then they are highlights. Did not see the lowlight video… or quality opposition.