Shadon Sharp’s improved play recently shows that he has the highest ceiling on the Portland Trail Blazers roster. Denny Avdija is making a strong All-Star case, but in terms of a legitimate superstar ceiling, Sharp gets the nod.
He is the only one who has all the physical tools necessary to separate himself from the rest of the players in the league. No one can match Sharp’s top-tier athleticism, which combined with his developing skills gives him superstar potential.
Shaddon Sharp has the highest ceiling on the Blazers
This season, the Blazers’ high-flyer is averaging 21.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 46/32/78 shooting splits. He is having a career season 4, taking on more offensive responsibilities with the highest usage rate on Portland’s roster (31.2%). But even with the breakout season, it feels like Sharp is just scratching the surface of who he can become as a player.
The obvious room for improvement lies in his three-point shot. He started the season incredibly cold, but has bounced back in a significant way, including a red-hot December period shooting 51.4% from beyond the arc.
December has been a relatively small seven-game sample size, and we continue to wait for Sharp to come back down to earth. After all, he’s a career 32.9% shooter from downtown, which is below league average at the position.
But what if this is the player Sharp is pursuing?
It would be unrealistic to expect it to be durable to this extent, but the eye test shows that Sharp is indeed a good marksman. This was the case as a rookie when he shot 36% from beyond the arc, but he has regressed surprisingly since then. If he can get that efficiency back as a three-level scorer, it will be impossible for defenses to game-plan. That three-point shot will open up the entire attack for Sharp, allowing him to play more to his true strengths as an elite downhill attacker.
Despite questionable shot selection at times, he still has room to grow as a playmaker. But we are talking about a 22 year old girl. Not only do guards take longer to adjust to the NBA, but Sharp also didn’t have a year of college to prepare after sitting out at Kentucky.
The Blazers wisely prioritized their former No. 7 overall pick in an extension and starting role, and they’re already starting to reap the benefits. We’re just seeing things start to look good for Sharp and that must be a scary thought for the rest of the league.
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