Shaedon Sharpe

Shaedon Sharpe's Biography

Shaedon Sharpe, a celebrated Canadian basketball player, was born on May 30, 2003. Recognized as a standout figure in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Sharpe currently plays for the esteemed Portland Trail Blazers team. Before his professional career took flight, he was regarded as a consensus five-star prospect in his high school years. He made waves when he committed to play college basketball with the revered Kentucky Wildcats. Despite his commitment, he didn’t play a single game before transitioning to the NBA. His adept skill set didn’t go unnoticed, and he was chosen as the seventh overall pick in the emphatic 2022 NBA draft.

Sharpe started his basketball journey in his homeland, at H. B. Beal Secondary School, located in London, Ontario. Propelled by his exemplary leadership skills, he guided his team to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations AAA event. After making his mark in Ontario, he switched to the Sunrise Christian Academy based in Bel Aire, Kansas, where his output was relatively limited during his sophomore year.

In the ensuing year, Sharpe transitioned to Dream City Christian School situated in Glendale, Arizona. This move saw him take up a more directive role, where he produced an impressive average of 21.4 points and six rebounds during matches in the Grind Session. His impressive skills on the court led to him being chosen to compete for UPLAY Canada in the Amateur Athletic Union circuit. He honed his innate talents under the professional guidance of Dwayne Washington.

Sharpe’s distinguished career as a five-star recruit garnered many honors. Originally, he was the consensus number one player in the 2022 class before his reclassification. Despite being unranked by major recruiting services during the start of his high school pursuits, Sharpe’s star quickly ascended within a year. This rise to fame was partly attributable to his phenomenal performance at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in 2021. On the 7th of September, 2021, Sharpe committed to playing for Kentucky, shunning offers from big names such as Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and the NBA G League Ignite. He created history by becoming the first number-one recruit to commit to Kentucky since Nerlens Noel in 2012.

After graduating early from high school with the intention of utilising his first year at Kentucky as a redshirt season in preparation for the 2022-23 games, plans changed. On February 7, 2022, head coach John Calipari made the surprising announcement that Sharpe would not play during the 2021-22 season after rumors started circulating about his participation and his eligibility for the 2022 NBA draft.

Sharpe’s career took a decisive turn on April 21, 2022, when he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forfeiting his remaining college eligibility without playing a single game. He prepared himself to join the big league and made history once again by being the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was picked by none other than the illustrious Portland Trail Blazers. Interestingly, he was one of two Canadians, including the 6th overall pick Bennedict Mathurin, to appear in the first round of the draft that year.

After an unfortunate shoulder injury during his Summer League debut, Sharpe made a triumphant return to the game for his NBA debut, scoring an impressive 12 points and leading his team to victory over the Sacramento Kings. Throughout his career, Sharpe had numerous standout moments, including a game where he scored 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, joining the ranks of NBA greats like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Luka Dončić.

An unfortunate abdominal surgery in 2024 forced Sharpe to be sidelined for the season. However, later in 2024, he was cleared for training camp after a successful recovery. Apart from his high-profile NBA career, Sharpe also represented his home country, Canada, at the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Brazil. His exceptional performance, averaging 13 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, significantly contributed to his team securing a hard-earned silver medal.