Shaedon Sharpe is arguably the most talented prospect in Portland’s rebuild. With the Blazers’ future in the balance, they need to know which player deserves to become the franchise’s torch-bearer.
Should Shaedon Sharpe be the Face of Portland’s Rebuild?
The Portland Trail Blazers have a talented group of young players. Among them is third-year player Shaedon Sharpe, one of the league’s most gifted athletes. Selected seventh overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Blazers’ future became much brighter with him as a potential star.
After the Damian Lillard trade in 2023, most people saw Scoot Henderson as the potential franchise player. Due to Scoot’s struggles, some people have lost faith in becoming the superstar in Portland’s rebuild. Now, Sharpe has returned to the spotlight and has possibly become the face of the future. Let us look at what makes Shaedon such a promising star for the long term.
Scoring 15 points of his 27 points in the 2nd half, with 11 of those points coming in the 4th quarter, Shaedon Sharpe continues to come up huge when the lights shine brightest
Shae now has thirteen 25+ point games in his career at just 22 years old 👀 pic.twitter.com/tie02qqDHz
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) December 20, 2024
Sharpe Has Limitless Raw Talent
Across the Blazers’ roster, Shaedon is arguably the most talented player. That dates back to high school because he broke out from nowhere. For the first two years of high school, Sharpe played in Canada and then Kansas. Although, he only became a top prospect when he joined Dream Christian Academy in Glendale, Arizona.
He caught the nation’s attention as a promising prospect in Arizona. The athletic guard shot to the top after the success at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) in 2021. Sharpe was a consensus five-star recruit, committing to the University of Kentucky. Unfortunately, he would not get to play a game for the Wildcats before declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft.
Since joining the Trail Blazers, Sharpe’s stats have shown his promise as a franchise building block. Sharpe even had a seamless fit alongside Dame, which led to people wanting them to be the long-term backcourt. It did not work out due to the trade, but Lillard always praised his rookie.
“I don’t have much of an appetite for bringing in guys two and three years away from really going after it. I think we get Shaedon at 19 and he’s just different,” Lillard said in 2023. “Just being around him, his disposition, how he listens, his frame, his natural talent and his ability.”
Sharpe is the Easiest Blazer to Build Around
The Henderson pick led to the Blazers deeming him a franchise point guard. That has not come to fruition because he has been a disappointing player. The talent is there, but the inefficiency sticks out with a career shooting percentage of 38.6% from the field. Turnovers have always been an issue, as he averages 3.2, while he has 5.3 assists per game.
Scoot can be a star point guard, but the Blazers might find it easier to commit to Shaedon. He has shown better potential as a natural scorer and a better fit for most players. Sharpe has shown he can shine as an off-ball player or take charge in Chauncey Billups’ system.
Inconsistency is still a problem for Shaedon due to his age and inexperience. But, the pathway to stardom is there for him for the taking. The shot-creation and athleticism are undeniable, so he will only improve when he gets more consistent minutes. Sharpe has struggled with injuries, but the 2024-25 season has been positive for the 21-year-old.
The Sharpe stats show he scores 17.7 points per game on 44.8% from the field and 28% from long distance. His three-point shot should be more precise, but he has shown good range and jump shot fundamentals. If he continues to deepen his shot-creation bag and shows more aggression, the Blazers’ future potential is limitless.
Portland’s rebuild relies on Sharpe being the long-term shooting guard. The team is probably going to have to choose between Anfernee Simons and Henderson, so Shaedon is the safest player to build around. With Donovan Clingan already set as the long-term center, the team is going in the right direction.
Shaedon Sharpe. Levitation. https://t.co/rPdSvGNBnz
— NBA University (@NBA_University) December 22, 2024
The 2025 Draft Might Decide Portland’s Rebuild
Sharpe and Clingan might be promising players, but the Blazers should have a high pick in the 2025 Draft. It is one of the most loaded classes in recent memory with some potential superstars. Cooper Flagg is the biggest name, who could be a game-changer for a team like Portland.
A player like Cooper could be a positive for Shaedon because he can have a co-star. When Portland decides on a long-term point guard, they can build good chemistry with all the other building blocks. While the pick could be a superstar, Sharpe deserves to be a go-to guy, as seen in the Sharpe stats.
