How Shaedon Sharpe is Developing from the Kentucky Basketball Sideline

The name Shaedon Sharpe has been on the tip of the Big Blue Nation’s tongue since he arrived on campus. The discussion around the former top-ranked recruit amplified over the last week, leaving many wondering, “When is he going to play?” Monday we did not get an answer to that question, but we have a better idea of how he has progressed during his first two weeks with the Wildcats.

Jonathan Givony dropped a news bomb last week that turned heads, reporting Sharpe will be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. The push for Sharpe to play for Kentucky this spring became a practical matter when TyTy Washington and Sahvir Wheeler both suffered injuries at Auburn. John Calipari stated after the loss that he did not consider putting Sharpe into the game. Today Orlando Antigua shed some on the projected lottery pick’s progression.

“He’s coming along, but he’s only been with us for two weeks. It’s hard to expect for him to be caught up where guys have been going and practicing and working since the summer,” said Antigua.

“But he’s doing great, he’s a quick learner. He’s studying and working really hard, but there’s a lot that’s going on when a kid gets to campus mid-season, just in terms of getting acclimated to classes, the schedule, dorm life, the lifting, the conditioning. Then you start throwing everything else, all of the details that got into it, it’s one of the things he’s been surprised about is how much information and how much detail everything is. He’s getting acclimated but it takes time.“

The Skills Sharpe Must Learn

The transition from high school to college comes with a steep learning curve. One Wildcat veteran, Jacob Toppin, is seeing Sharpe take the challenge in stride.

“It’s very difficult, but he’s coming along,” said Toppin. “He’s been in practices. We haven’t gone full 5-on-5 with him yet, but he’s getting there. He’s learning the plays. He’s definitely coming along very well and we’ll go from there, see what happens.”

It’s not as simple as “learn the plays.” Sharpe must get acclimated with the speed and nuances of the game that are essential to success. In high school he could simply out-talent his opponents. There’s more to that in SEC basketball.

“You gotta understand the pace of the game, you gotta understand the assignments, the defensive schemes, the timing on offense. The other four players that would be on the court with them, what kind of synergy they have and that takes time to build,” said Antigua.

“You get some game slippage when you go from practice to games and when you’re this far along in the season it’s really hard to try to throw somebody into it if they’re not really ready for it. We’re not only putting the kid in position to maybe do harm to himself, but also to our team if it’s not the right timing. Cal is always conscience, aware and alert on what’s the best for our kids and I don’t think that will change with Shaedon.”

While the BBN worries if and when Sharpe will play, it does not appear to be a talking point in the locker room.

“He’s young. I think he’s taking it day-by-day. I don’t think he’s worried about any of that.” Toppin said, “I think he’s just worried about getting better everyday and I see him in the gym all the time. He’s working hard and right now I think he’s just going with the flow of things. When his time comes, his time comes. I don’t think he’s worried about anything else but getting better everyday.”