KSR Film Breakdown: What do you need to know about Shaedon Sharpe?

Kentucky basketball signee Shaedon Sharpe is set to arrive on campus in the coming days, joining the program as a mid-year enrollee for the current season.

What happens from there remains up in the air. When he announced his decision to enroll early back in November, Sharpe said his plan was to redshirt the remainder of the year before returning for the 2022-23 season. It’s a move that would allow him to practice with the current team and begin training with Kentucky’s strength and conditioning staff, a clear head start on the competition for next year.

Will he play?

The nation’s No. 1 overall prospect did make it clear, however, that he is willing to do whatever is asked of him when he arrives in Lexington. If John Calipari wants him to play right away, he’ll suit up and help Kentucky compete from day one.

“His mindset is just to go there and get ready. If Coach (Cal) says, ‘I need you to play,’ he’s going to play,” Sharpe’s coach and mentor Dwayne Washington told KSR. “He’s not going out there to play, he’s going out there to practice, but that can change at any moment.”

Sharpe’s arrival is imminent

What are Calipari’s expectations? He hasn’t gotten that far yet. For now, the UK coach just wants Sharpe to get on campus, which he says will happen when the team returns from Christmas break.

“Let’s just get him to campus,” Calipari said last week. “Let’s just get him here.”

Kentucky is taking a wait-and-see approach, that much is clear. What happens, though, if Sharpe arrives on campus and he immediately lives up to his ranking and the hype surrounding his addition? What if Calipari decides the No. 1 recruit can help the team compete for a title now?

Film breakdown

What should Kentucky fans expect? To prepare fans for Sharpe’s arrival, basketball expert Ant Wright partnered with KSR and On3 Sports to break down the five-star guard’s game.

What are Sharpe’s strengths and weaknesses? What is his best player comparison? How does his game translate to the next level? Wright answers those questions and more below:

Will Shaedon Sharpe play for Kentucky this season? We’ll find out sooner rather than later.