Shaedon Sharpe scouting report: An explosive player with an equally explosive upside
Following an injury-plagued second season, Shaedon Sharpe remains one of the NBA’s more interesting developments. The seventh overall pick in 2023 posted a strong rookie season and showed real signs of improvement for the Blazers in year two. Unfortunately for Portland, Sharpe played in just 32 games as a sophomore, plagued by abdominal injuries.
A star development from Sharpe would be important for a still-rebuilding Portland team. We saw glimpses of that timeline this past season — Sharpe averaged 15.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 52.4% true shooting (-5.6 relative TS). That’s a fairly typical 21-year-old's stat line, marked by high highs between valleys of inefficiency and growing pains.
The question of Sharpe’s ceiling will sit on the front of Portland’s mind this season. Sharpe evolving into a true All-Star caliber building block would be a massive development for the Blazers. Can Shaedon Sharpe hone in on the elite offensive moments and turn them into consistent winning impact at the highest level?
Shaedon Sharpe Scouting Report
Shaedon Sharpe stars as an off-ball scorer, leveraging his shotmaking and athletic tools to dominate off of the catch. That’s how Sharpe thrived as a rookie, and the same was true in year two with leveled-up passing, dribbling and poise. He’s at his best burning closing out defenders or attacking downhill off of motion, where his explosive, fluid athleticism can shine.
Though Sharpe’s overall efficiency on jumpers dipped from his rookie season, he drained 41.5% of his catch-and-shoot triples. His shot versatility is encouraging for shooting development, as he’s comfortable sprinting off of movement to create for off-ball jumpers. Off of pins and curl screens, it’s difficult for defenses to halt Sharpe’s downhill momentum.
Shaedon Sharpe saw a major increase in offensive responsibility as a sophomore; his usage rate jumped from 19% as a rookie to 22.4% as a sophomore. This can somewhat explain Sharpe’s efficiency dip. It’s almost universally difficult for young players to operate as a primary offensive option. Sharpe saw his solid efficiency dip in all zones from year one.
An increased diet of difficult off-dribble threes tanked Sharpe’s three-point efficiency despite his catch and shooting success. Sharpe shot just 28.1% on his off-dribble threes, forcing plenty of difficult jumpers.
The flashes of space creation rising over defenses are tantalizing, though. Sharpe’s mid-range pull-up efficiency provides optimism for range improvement; Sharpe drained a solid 40.3% of his pull-up middies.
Shaedon Sharpe saw a similar efficiency decrease at the rim. As a rookie, Sharpe converted 59.8% (73/122) of his half-court rim attempts. That number dropped to an untenable 46.5% (47/104) in year two.
With a significant increase in unassisted twos, Sharpe’s decision-making issues reared their head. He’s often rushed with his footwork and launch points, making his life difficult despite his springy vertical explosion.
I wouldn’t be so concerned about this long-term, as footwork and timing issues often progress with age. It’s normal for young players thrust into new roles to adjust, especially on a team with spacing as routinely clogged as Portland’s.
Shaeon Sharpe’s diet of cuts and easy second-side attacks turned into more self-created looks and help attention. He must improve as a finisher in time, but Sharpe has the tools to do so in a more advantageous context.
Sharpe’s playmaking could determine his ultimate on-ball ceiling, and some of the improvements in year two were encouraging. With increased on-ball responsibilities, Sharpe’s assist rate nearly doubled (7.9% -> 13.8%). He’s more patient and controlled now, comfortable maintaining a live dribble to open passing options. He’s especially good at skip-passing and cracking open the defense with side-to-side playmaking.
For Sharpe to reach his passing ceiling, he must continue progressing as an interior passer and a consistent decision-maker. He’ll too often miss open windows in the paint off his drives in favor of lower-value passes and difficult shots.
And on the defensive end, Shaedon Sharpe still needs development to reach his theoretical ceiling. It can be challenging to evaluate young defenders, especially on poor defensive teams like the Blazers. Sharpe wasn’t an impactful defender by any means, though, despite his impressive athletic tools.
He’s still not effortful enough on that end, often letting players blow by him easily and zoning out off of the ball. Off-ball miscommunications and gaffes are commonplace, especially locating his man on the weak side of the ball. Again, these tend to be normal issues for players Sharpe’s age, though they are still notable.
Even when Sharpe does find his position, he’s often not as physically imposing as his tools suggest. Sharpe’s elite vertical explosion and speed should suggest some defensive upside, especially as an off-ball playmaker.
That hasn’t been the case throughout Sharpe’s career, though. Across his two seasons, Sharpe’s steal rate and block rate sit at 1.1%. That’s not nearly high enough for a player with these physical gifts.
As Shaedon Sharpe continues to age and mature, his instincts for playing defense should improve. Hopefully, he can tap into his physical tools and turn some of the flashes into a visible defensive impact in every game. That’s the story for Sharpe, as it is for so many young hyper athletes. How regular can the special moments become?
The upcoming season is key for Shaedon Sharpe's growth
A competent Portland team this season would reveal plenty about Shaedon Sharpe; how does he fit into a team with more cohesive, impactful NBA players than he’s ever played with before? Sharpe’s high points reflected a future All-Star caliber scoring wing. The low points warned of a microwave scorer who struggles to consistently dominate games.
Year three will be telling for Sharpe. So many talented young players can score inefficiently for losing teams. Where will Sharpe land on the volume/efficiency axis? How much can his playmaking continue to grow?
Sharpe seems poised to land in an off-ball scoring specialist role, winning off of the catch and playmaking at a competent level. I imagine a second-act Wiggins-type role for Sharpe at his 75th percentile outcome, scoring efficiently as a complementary option and locking in on defense. If that’s the case, he’ll be a valuable piece for this Portland team for years to come.