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Shaedon Sharpe

Marquette’s Justin Lewis Among Draft’s Latest Early Entrants

April 13th, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Marquette sophomore forward Justin Lewis has decided to declare for the 2022 NBA draft, he announced on Twitter. Lewis said he’ll sign with an agent but will maintain his college eligibility, which suggests he’ll be advised by an NCAA-certified agent, giving him the option of withdrawing and returning to school.

Lewis entered Marquette’s starting lineup in his second college season and enjoyed a breakout year, averaging 16.8 PPG and 7.9 RPG with a .440/.349/.761 shooting line in 32 games (32.2 MPG). Lewis, who earned All-Big East honors and was named the conference’s Most Improved Player, currently ranks 37th overall on ESPN’s board of 2022 prospects, making him a strong candidate to be drafted if he keeps his name in this year’s pool.

Here are a few more draft-related updates:

  • It’s not official yet, but sources tell Travis Branham of 247Sports.com that Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe is expected to announce soon that he’ll enter the 2022 draft while maintaining his NCAA eligibility. Sharpe has yet to play for the Wildcats, but is eligible to enter the 2022 draft and could be a top-10 pick if he does so. He currently ranks No. 6 overall on ESPN’s big board.
  • Zvonimir Ivisic, a 7’2″ Croatian big man, has declared for the 2022 draft, agent Misko Raznatovic tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). The 18-year-old, who is the No. 77 prospect on ESPN’s top-100 list, has been playing in Montenegro with SC Derby this season.
  • San Francisco senior guard Khalil Shabazz has announced he intends to test the NBA draft waters while maintaining his final year of college eligibility (Twitter link). Shabazz averaged 13.7 PPG on .383/.345/.845 shooting in 34 games (30.0 MPG) in 2021/22.
  • UAB senior guard Jordan Walker will enter the draft while maintaining his last year of eligibility, he announced on Twitter. Walker led the Blazers with 20.3 PPG and 4.9 APG in 34 games (31.8 MPG) this season, and made 39.6% of 8.6 three-pointers per game.
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And-Ones: 2022 Big Board, Sleepers, Muhammad, Russia

March 10th, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren and Auburn forward Jabari Smith are in a tier of their own atop Sam Vecenie’s latest Big Board for the Athletic. Vecenie has four Duke players in the top 24, including Paolo Banchero at No. 4 and AJ Griffin at No. 6.

One new addition: Kentucky wing Shaedon Sharpe at No. 5. Sharpe hasn’t played this season after joining the Wildcats in January with the plan to play in 2022/23, but he could be draft-eligible this year if he declares. Sharpe is an outstanding athlete at 6’6″ (7’0″ wingspan) and is a legitimate pull-up shooter, according to Vecenie.

Strong performances during March Madness when more NBA eyes will be watching the 2022 draft class could lead to major movement on the board, as Vecenie states that there are minimal differences from spots 15-58. He plans to update his board again in April.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • John Hollinger of The Athletic explores 11 draft sleepers to keep an eye on during March Madness, including Colorado State forward David Roddy and Memphis forward Josh Minott. Hollinger’s favorite “deep, deep sleeper” is Toledo shooting guard Ryan Rollins, who was No. 29 on Vecenie’s board.
  • Shabazz Muhammad recently had an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, stating that he’s hoping to make an NBA comeback. Muhammad last played in the league in 2017/18 with the Bucks, and he admits he wasn’t in the best shape at the time. “I’ve been working on my game seriously. When I was in Milwaukee, I noticed I had gotten myself out of shape. I’m in tip-top shape right now. I’m 220 pounds. That was my original weight when I came into the NBA and had some good years in Minnesota,” Muhammad said. “I realized you can’t take the NBA for granted, and that’s one thing I thought I did when I was in the NBA. Now, I’m thinking about getting back there by working my butt off and doing everything I have to do on and off the court as a person to be the best player and teammate I can be.” The 29-year-old swingman is currently playing in the Philippines.
  • Sources tell Marc Stein of Substack (Twitter link) that Russian teams are attempting to lure their American players back to the country by promising bonuses. Many players currently under contract have returned stateside due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. As Stein notes (via Twitter), Russian teams were barred from European competition by FIBA, but league play is set to continue within the country. Stein is skeptical that the American players will rejoin the teams given the instability in the region and the fact that WNBA star Brittney Griner is currently detained in Russia.
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And-Ones: Freedom, Buyout Market, Sharpe, Salary Cap

February 15th, 2022 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Enes Freedom, who was waived by Houston on Monday, has become increasingly involved in political and social justice activism within the last year, taking aim in particular at China’s record on human rights. However, there’s a sense that if he doesn’t get picked up by an NBA team, it will be more about what he can do on the court than anything he has said off of it, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com.

“I don’t know if anyone else signs him. Maybe not,” one general manager told Bulpett. “I think from a basketball standpoint, it’s really questionable. I’m not sure if any of the other stuff will even come into play. I don’t think he won’t get a job because of anything he’s said or done. I think he just doesn’t guard, and the game is changing. He plays a lot older than he really is.”

There are plenty of teams around the NBA with open roster spots, so there certainly could be one (or more) interested in bringing in Freedom as a bench scorer, despite his defensive shortcomings. If that doesn’t happen, the veteran center would apparently be open to playing in Europe, as Antigoni Zachari of Eurohoops relays.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • The buyout market is beginning to show signs of life, with word breaking this morning that San Antonio and Goran Dragic have reached a buyout agreement. Before that deal was made, John Hollinger of The Athletic took a closer look at some of the buyout candidates who could shake free in the coming weeks — Dragic was the No. 3 player on Hollinger’s list.
  • In a separate story for The Athletic, Hollinger handed out his trade deadline awards, dubbing the Kings‘ acquisition of Donte DiVincenzo the “biggest unexpected steal,” calling the Jazz‘s deal for Nickeil Alexander-Walker the deadline’s “most underwhelming trade,” and referring the Celtics‘ addition of Derrick White as the “trade we’ll talk about a lot more in April,” depending on how the rest of Boston’s season plays out.
  • There’s a possibility Shaedon Sharpe could enter the 2022 NBA draft without playing a single college game, making him one of the most enigmatic prospects in years, according to Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link). Givony and Schmitz explore how NBA teams are evaluating Sharpe, noting that most clubs are preparing for Sharpe to declare for the draft despite John Calipari‘s claim that the freshman guard plans to be back with Kentucky in 2022/23.
  • Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes an interesting, in-depth look at the creation of the NBA’s salary cap and Bird rights, explaining how they revolutionized the league.
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And-Ones: Sharpe, 2022 Draft, Dotson, Douglas

January 23rd, 2022 at 1:26pm CST by Rory Maher

It was reported a few days ago that top prospect Shaedon Sharpe will be eligible to apply for the 2022 draft, which could have a ripple effect on the projected lottery selections this summer. Kyle Tucker and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic explore the next steps for both Kentucky and Sharpe, who has yet to play a game for the Wildcats. Sources tell The Athletic that although Sharpe is able to apply, there are still questions as to whether he would actually be granted eligibility by the NBA.

Tucker relays that Kentucky wasn’t surprised by the news that Sharpe was eligible to apply for the draft, as it was always a possibility. Sharpe just joined the Wildcats at the beginning of January and hasn’t even gone through a full practice yet. Coach John Calipari said the report doesn’t change anything from his perspective.

“It doesn’t change anything. He plans on being here next year. He’s watching. Whether I play him or not this year, if he’s ready to be able to be in games, I’ll put him in. But he’s a great kid and he’s doing well and he’s going to make practices even better. He’s only been here two weeks. But at the end of the day, you know I’m going to be for kids. That’s how I do this,” Calipari said.

The plan all along has been for Sharpe to sit out the ’22 season and suit up for 2022/23. Tucker had a text exchange with Sharpe’s mother, Julia Bell, to verify the plan was still in place and she confirmed that it was. Tucker believes that Sharpe will end up playing at some point this season, but Vecenie thinks that it would behoove him not to.

Vecenie hasn’t projected Sharpe in any mock drafts for ’22 due to the murkiness of his eligibility, but he believes the 6’6″ wing has the upside to be the No. 1 overall pick. If Sharpe does end up applying and is granted eligibility by the NBA, Vecenie says he’d rank him around No. 5 on his board and would be surprised if he fell outside of the top 10. Sharpe would immediately become one of top wing prospects in a draft that is mostly known for its big men.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

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And-Ones: Hardship Deals, Sharpe, Cornelie, All-Star Voting

January 20th, 2022 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA will continue to allow teams to sign players to 10-day hardship contracts via a COVID-related allowance through February 17, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). When first introducing the new form of hardship deals last month, the league said they would be permitted until at least January 19.

Unlike the injury-related hardship deals that have been available for many years, a COVID hardship contract doesn’t count against a team’s salary for cap or tax purposes. Additionally, an injury-related hardship exception is only granted if a club has at least four players out with longer-term injuries, whereas that club becomes eligible for a COVID hardship exception as soon as one player enters the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

There are far fewer players in the protocols now than there were in mid-to-late December and early January, so hopefully the worst of this season’s COVID-19 outbreaks are behind us and not many hardship deals will be required in the coming weeks.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe, once ranked by ESPN as the top prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, will be eligible to apply for the ’22 NBA draft as an early entrant, a source tells ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. It’s unclear whether or not Sharpe, who has yet to play at all for the Wildcats, will actually declare for this year’s draft. If he does, it would shake up the top 10 for lottery teams — Givony has tentatively placed the 18-year-old sixth overall on ESPN’s 2022 big board.
  • Despite some rumors that he was being eyed by a team in Spain, former Nuggets forward Petr Cornelie has signed a G League contract and joined the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s affiliate, according to the league’s transactions log. Cornelie was waived last week so the Nuggets could sign Davon Reed to a two-way contract.
  • The NBA announced the latest All-Star voting results on Thursday and issued a reminder that voting will end on Saturday and the All-Star starters will be announced next Thursday, January 27. The fans’ selections will account for 50% of the overall vote, with current NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%) accounting for the remainder.
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And-Ones: M. Gasol, I. Thomas, 2022 Draft, Sharpe

November 9th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After reuniting with Pau Gasol last season, FC Barcelona is attempting to recruit his brother Marc Gasol, team manager Juan Carlos Navarro confirmed this week (link via Mundo Deportivo; hat tip to Sportando).

Navarro classified the team’s discussions with Gasol as “conversations” rather than “negotiations,” but suggested that the Spanish center hasn’t ruled out the possibility. Gasol, who was traded from the Lakers to the Grizzlies and then was waived during the offseason, decided to return home to Spain rather than continue his career in the NBA. It remains to be seen if he’ll play on either side of the Atlantic in 2021/22.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • In a documentary-style YouTube video called ‘For The Love of The Game,’ free agent guard Isaiah Thomas says he nearly signed with an NBA team during the summer. “This offseason I worked out for three teams and got very positive feedback from every organization,” Thomas said, per Marcus Kwesi O’Mard of NESN.com. “There was one team that I was basically very close to signing (with), then it didn’t happen.” The 32-year-old is attempting to make an NBA comeback after spending just 10 days on a roster last season.
  • In the first draft of his big board for the 2022 NBA draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic contends that Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren are in their own tier at the top of the ’22 class. According to Vecenie, there are a lot of question marks beyond the top two at this point.
  • Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 1 prospect in ESPN’s ranking of the 2022 recruiting class, announced on Tuesday (via Twitter) that he’ll be enrolling at Kentucky in January. Sharpe won’t be eligible for the 2022 draft because he didn’t graduate high school before the NBA’s 2021/22 season began, notes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).
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And-Ones: Bosh, Mike James, Sharpe, Tough Contracts

September 11th, 2021 at 11:10am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Former Raptors and Heat All-Star big man Chris Bosh had to retire earlier than anticipated at age 33, having not played since he was 31 due to a scary blood clot issue. The 6’11” center/power forward may have interest in eventually pursuing a coaching or NBA front office career, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“I don’t want to put any closure on it,” the 37-year-old Bosh said about a possible coaching gig. “Some sort of front-office or coaching position, I don’t want to throw dirt on it and say, ‘that’s it (and I won’t pursue it).'”

Bosh will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend as a player, after 11 All-Star appearances, one All-NBA Second Team honor, four Finals appearances and two titles. He holds career averages of 19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 2.0 APG.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Recent Nets reserve point guard Mike James has left Russian basketball club CSKA Moscow, per Dario Skerletic of Sportando. James now re-enters the NBA free agency pool. The 6’1″ guard previously began the 2020/21 season with CSKA Moscow, averaging 19.3 PPG and 5.7 across 27 games of Euroleague play. The 31-year-old vet eventually latched on with the Nets, averaging 7.7 PPG and 4.1 APG across 13 regular season contests, before seeing his role diminished in the playoffs. James had been under contract with CSKA Moscow through 2023, but had managed to carve out time to join the Nets at the end of the 2020/21 season with the club’s blessing. Now, he is a wholly unrestricted free agent.
  • Top high school prospect Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 1-ranked overall prospect in the class of 2022, has committed to suiting up for coach John Calipari in Kentucky, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN. “Coach Cal took the time to understand who I was as a person and how to get the best out of me,” Sharpe said. “I can see that he does a great job of working with athletes of my position and playing style and getting them to be the best versions of themselves. His experience is a large part of why I chose UK, but he believed in the vision and goals that I had for myself as well.” The addition of Sharpe marks Calipari’s first top-five recruit since he added now-Heat star big man Bam Adebayo in 2016. During Calipari’s 12 seasons at Kentucky, he has seen 43 of his players selected in the NBA draft, including 21 in the lottery. Sharpe also reportedly considered joining the G League Ignite, Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma State before making his decision.
  • Several players throughout the NBA remain inked to unwieldy contracts relative to their output or health. Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype assesses the toughest deals to flip in the league ahead of the 2021/22 season. Rockets point guard John Wall, owed $91.7MM over the next two years, tops Gozlan’s list for the second straight season. Gozlan speculates that the 31-year-old former All-Star could be headed for a buyout with Houston soon. 33-year-old Cavaliers forward/center Kevin Love, owed $60.2MM over the next two seasons as Cleveland’s fourth-best big man, and 31-year-old maximum-salaried Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, who has missed the last two seasons with an ACL tear (in 2019/20) and an Achilles tear (in 2020/21), are two of the more predictable names on the list. A few 2021 free agency signings and extensions make the cut, including the contracts of Bulls small forward DeMar DeRozan and Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen.
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