Shaedon Sharpe's mentor stressing patience, regardless of draft status

Will Shaedon Sharpe play for Kentucky this season? That part of the equation is irrelevant for the five-star guard and those within his tight inner circle. They’re indifferent on the matter, leaving that decision up to John Calipari.

“Right now the team is doing well, they don’t need him,” Sharpe’s former coach and mentor, Dwayne Washington, told KSR. “He may not play. It’s up to Cal. If he wants him to play, he’ll play. That means Cal thinks he’s ready.

“When a cook is in the kitchen, you just let them do their thing. Especially when they’ve proven they know what they’re doing.”

Sharpe’s vision is not limited to one semester or postseason run. The standout signee and his camp understand what’s at stake moving forward in his basketball career. They won’t make any rash short-term decisions that could affect his long-term future, even if it means passing up the opportunity to punch an immediate lottery ticket.

ESPN broke the news Thursday that Sharpe had met the age and academic requirements necessary for draft eligibility in 2022, with an application for early entry being the only thing standing between him and his NBA future this offseason. The reaction was about what you’d expect for a fanbase hoping and expecting to see the program’s prized No. 1 recruit in action for one season in Lexington, at minimum.

While it was ground-shaking news for much of the basketball world, Sharpe’s anticipated eligibility was no surprise for those involved. In fact, the five-star guard and his camp knew he’d likely be eligible well before he arrived on campus. They just didn’t care. No one involved thought twice about the possibility.

“This is not new news to us. We knew about this before he came to school,” Washington told KSR. “This news is not news to anybody in the NBA. … People just found out, but NBA people already knew.”

Those who needed to know were made aware, but that was the extent of the conversations. It didn’t even get to the man in charge in Lexington.

“I didn’t even tell Calipari,” Washington said. “Calipari was like, ‘Do you think he could do it?’ I said, ‘Honestly, it doesn’t matter, because he’s not going.’ He said, ‘OK, if you say so.’ Because everything I’ve said has happened.”

That’s because Sharpe’s path is clear, one different than other top-ranked players looking for a quick buck or an autopilot year before declaring for the draft. He chose the road less traveled at Kentucky, one focused on the future rather than the now.

With professional organizations begging for his commitment — Washington tells KSR that Sharpe turned down “four, five million dollars” from “every pro situation that was available” — they chose the guarantee: development under Calipari at Kentucky.

“It’s pretty idiotic. Everybody knew that this was an option, but we’re not taking it,” Washington told KSR. “He lost millions coming to school. He came to get better. … You come to get ready if you want to go to the NBA, which is one of the goals. You have to be ready. People don’t respect Calipari’s ability to develop enough, that’s why (Shaedon’s) there.

“He’s not there to sit on the bench and wave at fans. He’s coming back next year. If he doesn’t play this year, he’s coming back next year.”

There’s step one in this whole ordeal, this year.

Sharpe’s camp has given the UK head coach freedom to make the final call on immediate playing time. If and when Calipari thinks he’s ready, the 6-6 guard will take the floor and contribute to the best of his abilities.

“Cal is the boss,” Washington said. “Whatever Cal says, goes.”

The risk on Kentucky’s end? Sharpe plays and lives up to his No. 1 ranking on unprecedentedly short notice, scoring at will and helping the Wildcats make a deep run in March. At that point, a half-and-done season would certainly be on the table.

After just two weeks on campus, though, Sharpe isn’t ready to make that mark quite yet.

“If he plays, and plays a lot of games and does well, then yeah, he’s going to leave,” Washington told KSR. “But we came here to get ready because he had already surpassed what he could do in high school. Two weeks in, he’s not ready to play a game, at all.

“Imagine going to Alabama football after two weeks in the middle of the regular season and trying to get in there after high school. It’s not going to work. You’ve got to know the plays and everything, too.”

If it doesn’t work out that way, so be it. That’s not why Sharpe decided to sign with Kentucky, and it’s not why he decided to enroll early. He and his camp see the recruiting rankings and draft boards, they know he would almost certainly be a top-10 pick in 2022 regardless. The focus is on learning what it takes to be a ten-plus-year pro rather than simply hearing his name called on draft night or signing his first contract.

“The truth is there’s no rush here,” Washington told KSR. “He doesn’t need to get his family out of a tough situation. He’s literally trying to be ready for a hopeful decade-plus career. There are a lot of guys I know who left early from other schools who are not ready. They got there and now they’re somewhere in Iceland. We’re trying to be long-term, everything we do is long-term.”

Think of it as a career investment rather than a quick-hit money solution.

“This is Apple stock versus some pop-up crypto,” Washington said. “… He’s here because of the environment, the fans, the media, and more importantly, the coach that knows how to get you to be an Apple stock — a long-term value stock.

“… You do it because you’re making an investment. You’re developing so long-term you can last longer. He turned down more money than he could ever make in NIL because he’s got to be ready. I can give you $10 now or I give you $200 tomorrow. People who don’t have visions are going to take the $10 now.”

What about potential injury or the concern of draft stock taking a hit with underwhelming play? How could you risk a lottery guarantee for an additional year of uncertainty?

For starters, Sharpe has an insurance policy covering injury during his time at Kentucky.

“He turned away millions to come here,” Washington told KSR. “If he’s turning away millions to come here, why is he worried about slipping and hurting his ankle? He has the liability insurance, it’s all set up. If he hurts himself, he’s going to get that money. … He’s got insurance. If something happens, he’s fine.

“But here’s the thing, if you think like that, you’re not going to make it anyway.”

He compared it to players participating in the Olympics or seeking outside training during the NBA offseason, all with plenty to lose. If future Hall of Famers are willing to put their bodies on the line for the sake of growth, why wouldn’t Sharpe?

“It’s more evidence why I support Calipari,” Washington said. “If you choose to do that, that means you really believe in what they’re going to prepare you to do. Every summer, these guys get trainers and strength (coaches) — they’re Hall of Famers. Guys go to the Olympics to play under Coach K and guys like that so they can get better, and they’re already Hall of Famers. Why do they do that? They could get hurt? You do it to get better. If you’re worried about getting hurt, you can’t be the best.”

Sharpe brings that same approach when it comes to his draft stock. There’s no limit on investing in your craft. Washington says the five-star guard plans to prove that in his time in Lexington.

“You can’t put yourself in peoples’ shoes,” Washington told KSR. “Why didn’t Warren Buffett stop 30 years ago? He’s still investing and he’s 90. It’s your passion, it’s what you do. Why did Kobe practice all the time? ‘You’re already in the Hall of Fame?’ His last game, he was in the gym at 3 AM. You can’t put yourself in peoples’ shoes who are trying to be great. Most people are average, that’s why it’s called ‘average.’

“There are some people who have a certain skill set and they want to be excellent. They don’t want to just get there, they want to be the best. You go to those people because you want to be the best. You don’t go to junior college expecting to get the same education — no disrespect.

“For me, someone with longevity and players in the NBA who have made quite a bit of money, I have the answers to the test. But you have to be ready to take the test.”

Washington was instrumental in the growth of former UK star and fellow Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guiding him to Lexington to learn under Calipari. With patience and complete trust in the process, the former four-star prospect worked his way into the starting lineup and turned himself into one of the top point guards in college basketball before earning lottery status in the NBA Draft.

“We already had Shai there, so we know what it is. When Shai went there, nobody even knew he was going to be an NBA player,” Washington told KSR. “They thought he was going to be a backup to Quade Green. But after development, he’s a lottery pick, and more importantly, he’s a max guy. Nobody knew that was coming. This is the time you’ve got to trust the experts.”

Patience was a key part of Gilgeous-Alexander’s success story. It’s why those involved plan on keeping that same mindset with Sharpe and his development.

“I’ve been through this before with a guy on the bench who I thought was the best player on the team,” Washington said. “We were humble enough to sit the bench and wait our time. Then Shai took over. Why would I go another route? That’s for a guy nobody was after. I knew, Cal knew. Patience. … Really, it’s a similar situation to Shaedon. It’s going to be the same kind of results. Don’t sell Kentucky short.”

Again, none of this is about the short-term money or hearing his name called in the draft. If that were the case, Sharpe could’ve signed a pro deal and started raking in endorsements while sleepwalking to the draft in July. Instead, the five-star guard and his camp chose a real challenge with greater rewards at the finish line.

“None of this stuff bothers Shaedon, he was prepared for this,” Washington told KSR. “You don’t choose Kentucky thinking you’re going to be under the radar. You choose Kentucky because you want to go through the fire so when you come out the other end you can help a franchise and be a franchise guy.

“All that money talk comes from people who don’t have it. … I would’ve retired a long time ago if I were Bill Gates, but they’re still working. You know why? That’s who they are.”

There’s an unwavering trust in Calipari and the results that come with his development at Kentucky. The proof is in the pudding, the results speak for themselves.

“I don’t think people respect Kentucky as much as they should and what they do,” Washington told KSR. “Not just getting these guys, either. A lot of these guys are actually re-signed (in the NBA). People think they’re going to make it because these guys make it look easy. It’s not easy. A lot of top guys go places and don’t make it. I can name 25 top guys that were high picks and went other places and didn’t make it.

“People take it for granted because it looks easy and it’s not. I know every major coach in the country. Cal does it, and does it with a big heart and cares about people. He puts the kids first, and people take it as, ‘He’s just a loveable guy.’ Cal knows what he’s doing. He’s very intelligent and knows how to get players physically and mentally ready.”

Sharpe chose the closest thing to a guarantee he could find, and that was at Kentucky.

“We’re here for Calipari. We’re here for Calipari and what he’s built. Period,” Washington said. “I’m not going to mess with that formula, I’d be a fool to do that. … We’re here to get better and win a title. If you win a title at Kentucky, you’re immortalized. That’s more than some NIL or a million dollars. The fans will take care of you.

“If you’re coming to Kentucky, you’re coming because you believe, especially if you’re a top player. The evidence is substantial.”