Peach Jam: Elite 2022 SG Shaedon Sharpe Takes Hands Off Approach to Recruiting

Sharpe has already taken visits to Kentucky and Arizona and plans to line up more after July.

Author:
Jason Jordan
Publish date:
Jul 23, 2021

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – It’s not that Shaedon Sharpe doesn’t care, it’s just that when it comes to his recruitment, he’s more comfortable taking a hands-off approach with the day-to-day, intricate details.

Instead, he lets UPlay Canada founder Dwayne Washington serve as the buffer between him and the college coaches while he focuses on domination on the hardwood.

“I’m just here to play ball,” said Sharpe, a shooting guard who is widely regarded as a top 10 prospect in the 2022 class. “I just want to know when it’s time to go on visits and things like that. I don’t talk to the coaches really. People don’t understand, it takes a lot of preparation to be at your best for the next level. I’m at my best when I focus on that.”

Clearly.

Sharpe dominated last week at the Nike EYBL, averaging 21.6 points a game and shooting 46% from the three-point line.

In his last three games at the Nike Peach Jam, Sharpe is pumping in 28 points and eight rebounds a game.

Those numbers have caused quite the traffic jam of college basketball heavyweights on the sidelines at his games this week with Kentucky, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and others looking on.

Recently, Sharpe took visits to Kentucky and Arizona.

“Kentucky was great,” Sharpe said. “I just liked going to the practices and seeing their style. I feel like I could really rock out in their system because of how they operate. I loved Arizona’s campus; I go to school in Arizona, so the weather is great, but I really liked everything about it.”

Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 28 points and eight rebounds at Nike Peach Jam.

Last season at Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), Sharpe averaged 25.4 points, while shooting 45% from the three-point line, and 6.4 rebounds game.

Sharpe’s 25 points a game was up from just six points a game at Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kan.) during his sophomore season.

Washington said allowing Sharpe to focus on constantly improving has been a catalyst for his ascension.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so I make it simple for him,” Washington said. “That’s what works best for him, and that’s what I’m here for. We’ll do more visits after Peach Jam and go from there. He wants to have a decision by early September.”

As easygoing as Sharpe is about his recruitment, he’s clear that trust must be paramount at whichever school he ends up.

“I want to be in a system and with a coach that lets you play through mistakes,” Sharpe said. “I don’t want to sit down after a mistake; I like to learn and adjust. I want the coach to trust me, and I want to be able to trust him fully. That’s big for me.”