When the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Shaedon Sharpe seventh overall in the 2022 NBA Draft the high school product was an enigma. He had boundless athleticism and a nose for scoring, but lacked experience in organized, high-level play. He was the quintessential project player, a flyer on a star-in-waiting who had drawn loose comparisons to Kobe Bryant in skillset and potential impact on both sides of the floor.
Two and a half years on, Sharpe is progressing nicely, scoring 17.1 points per game on 44.3% shooting from the floor, playing 30.2 minutes. That’s certainly a decent return on investment for a mid-lottery pick.