The tournament continues but it is also time for players to start entering their names into the upcoming NBA Draft.  The list has just started and will only grow from here on out but one player that Phenom Hoops certainly knows well about and has seen develop is 6’11, 265-pound big man Day’Ron Sharpe.

Growing up in North Carolina, Sharpe was a known name for his excellent play at South Central.  He was nearly a double-double throughout his time and went on to be part of a terrific team at Montverde Academy. Before heading down to Florida though, Sharpe was a huge reason that helped bring South Central a championship in the 4A division.

Back in 2018, we had our own Rick Lewis say this in an article named “Dayron Sharpe: Oozing with Upside” from his viewing at the NBPA Top 100 in Virginia. (Click Here)

“He sports long arms and most of all an energetic and enthusiastic attitude on the court… We have been particularly impressed with his basketball IQ and overall feel for the game. While he hasn’t been a “go-to” player on his team at the NBPA, he is moving well without the ball and sets strong and wide screens. He is constantly working for rebounding position, but is very skilled in the lost art of boxing out. He is a strong two-handed rebounded and makes quick outlet passes and does an admirable job of running the floor. In addition, Sharpe isn’t bashful at driving on the floor for a loose ball.”

Personally, watching Sharpe of the years, the one factor of his game that I couldn’t absolutely get over was his rebounding ability.  It is one of the key factors that you could quickly tell was elite.  Sharpe has tremendous hands and just has a knack for how to get his hands on the ball off the boards and using his body to battle down low.  Add that to his tremendous wingspan, Sharpe showed quickly how elite he could be in that area alone. But as mentioned above, he was still oozing with potential. 

On his way to North Carolina, Sharpe put up some absolutely terrific numbers for a player that only started four games and averaged under 20 minutes a game.  Posting averages of 9.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 19 minutes a game, the freshman was an absolute beast, including his activity on the offensive and defensive glass.

If you would expand and look at his Per 40 minutes, Sharpe would be posting averages of 19.8 points, 15.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks; numbers that would grab the attention of many NBA teams.  And yet, it only feels like he is starting his story in what he could ultimately be in the NBA.

When you look at the overall game of Sharpe, this is a young, powerful big that has a chance to be a real presence down low in the interior. He could make a lot of money with just his productivity on the glass, being one of the best offensive rebounders in the country, and his knack for the ball.  Sharpe also moves really well for his size and continues to progress in showing more of his offensive touch. 

It will be interesting to see where he falls in the draft.  Early on, there are projections of Sharpe going in the first round but how high might he go still remains to be determined.  With more workouts though and viewings, Sharpe could be one that sees his draft profile rise tremendously in the coming months before the NBA Draft.