2021 NBA Draft: Landing spots for Day’Ron Sharpe
On Thursday night, former UNC Basketball player Day’Ron Sharpe could hear his name called in the 2021 NBA draft.
The 19-year-old Sharpe spent the off-season training, impressing NBA scouts, and raising his NBA stock with numerous clips of him working on his craft.
In Sharpe’s freshman season he proved that he was not only worth his five-star recruitment status, but also that he was one of the top bigs in the nation. Despite Sharpe’s position being loaded with talent for the UNC basketball program, he still appeared in 29 games averaging 9.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 19.2 minutes of play. The raw talent seems to have only gotten better since Sharpe announced that he would forgo his Sophomore season, however, one question remains.
https://twitter.com/jhardy575/status/1418061587722776578?s=20
Which NBA logo will be on the hat Sharpe puts on when his name is announced?
Los Angeles?
The battle of LA continues to grow with both the Lakers and Clippers being contenders in the West. Despite the historic legacy that comes with the Lakers, it’s the white, blue, and red color schemed jersey that could replace the Carolina Blue.
The Clippers currently have the 25th overall pick, and despite the Lakers’ pick being three spots ahead, their needs are for a guard and not a big man. The Clippers would be an ideal draft spot after losing Montrezl Harrell to the Lakers in free agency the year prior. Since Harrell’s departure, the Clippers struggled to find the right rotations for their bigs, dealing with injuries and inconsistent play, creating a need.
A need that could be fulfilled by Sharpe, who could find solid playing time early while competing for a championship contender. Playing in LA alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George would be a perfect learning experience for a young 19-year-old.
light. Related Story. This UNC commit stood out at the Peach Jam
Oklahoma City?
The Oklahoma City Thunder could be another great landing spot for Sharpe with the ability to snag him with the 16th or 18th overall pick. OKC recently traded away two bigs Al Horford and Moses Brown for guard Kemba Walker in the process of creating space for a new big. OKC has been a bright spot for drafting and developing young talents such as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Jeff Green, and many more.
Sharpe could end up finding more minutes in OKC versus any other team he gets drafted to, however, the downside is that OKC won’t be competing for anything outside of draft picks for a while.
New York?
Much like the battle of LA, there’s another war in NY between the Nets and Knicks on who owns the city. Despite the Knicks being the lesser team at the moment, their needs aren’t for a big but more so a point. The Nets, on the other hand, could use Sharpe’s services with rumors of Jeff Green departing and the limited bigs available after Jarrett Allen was traded and LaMarcus Aldridge’s sudden retirement.
The Nets currently have the 27th pick and there’s doubt that Sharpe will still be available, but if he is, unlike the other two destinations, getting playing time in Brooklyn could be tough. Blake Griffin is expected to return, DeAndre Jordan still has another year left on his contract and the emergence of Nic Claxton could make it hard for Sharpe to see the court. The Nets are expected to go after another big, which could hinder any playing time Sharpe could get, however, learning from such a stacked team who is favored to win it all next season could still make it a valuable landing spot.
Who else will commit to UNC's 2022 class?. dark. Next
The NBA Draft will take place Thursday, July 29th at Barclays in Brooklyn, NY. Be sure to check back with Keeping It Heel as we continue coverage on Sharpe and other Tar Heels in the NBA.