NBA Draft: Could Shaedon Sharpe Help - Or 'Burn' - the New York Knicks?
Hypothetical trades centered around the New York Knicks' offseason have proposed that the team attempt to move up from the 11th overall slot in the upcoming NBA Draft.
If the Knicks have interest in Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe, one anonymous scout suggests that the team should just be patient rather than look to make a deal. The scout's comments were made public by Locked On NBA podcast host Rafael Barlowe, who shared them on Twitter on Monday.
“I wouldn’t take him in the top 10," the scout said. "It’s too small of a sample size. Someone’s going to get burned.”
Sharpe, an Ontario native, has been the No. 1 prospect for several recruitment outlets in the Class of 2022 after stellar high school showings in Ontario, Kansas, and Arizona. He also worked with the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League as well as the Canadian national team's amateur endeavors. After graduating from Dream City Christian (AZ) early, Sharpe moved on to the University of Kentucky but did not appear in any games last season after joining the team for the second half of the year.
Sharpe, 18, nonetheless declared for the 2022 NBA Draft last month. He confirmed his professional intentions in an interview with Shams Charania.
As the scout implies, Sharpe is projected to be a top ten pick at Brooklyn's NBA Draft on June 23. The Knicks are current owners of the 11th overall pick after last week's lottery yielded no gain or loss.
Sharpe's relative inactivity undoubtedly carries an aura of mystery into his NBA future and likely turns him into a project in the early parts of his career. But his shooting and athleticism would respectively help a Knicks team that struggled in the mid-range and fast-break areas last season.
