Shaedon Sharpe declares for NBA Draft

Kentucky+Wildcats+guard+Shaedon+Sharpe+sits+on+the+bench+during+warmups+before+the+UK+vs+Georgia+men%E2%80%99s+basketball+game+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+8%2C+2022%2C+at+Rupp+Arena+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+UK+won+92-77.+Photo+by+Michael+Clubb+%7C+Staff

Michael Clubb

Kentucky Wildcats guard Shaedon Sharpe sits on the bench during warmups before the UK vs Georgia men’s basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. UK won 92-77. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff

Hunter Shelton

One day after Oscar Tshiebwe announced his decision to return to Kentucky for a second season, Shaedon Sharpe too has made a choice, but with a different outcome in mind. 

Sharpe is keeping his name in the 2022 NBA Draft, according to Shams Charania and Kyle Tucker of The Athletic. He has been projected as high as a top-five pick in the draft, likely falling somewhere in the lottery. 

He committed to Kentucky as a member of the Class of 2022, but eventually reclassified after graduating high school early, enrolling at UK early, joining the team this past January. 

There were questions as to whether or not the London, Ontario native would see the court during the 2021-22 season. After a few weeks of speculation, head coach John Calipari announced that Sharpe would not play for the Wildcats this season, barring an emergency.

That emergency never came, and Sharpe sat on the UK bench for the final two and a half months of the season. Calipari was adamant after his announcement that both he and Sharpe were aware of the process, and the 18-year old would be returning to Kentucky next year. 

As the season carried on, it appeared more and more likely that the 6-foot-5 shooting guard would pursue playing professionally, as draft projections showed him to carry plenty of value into the NBA. 

On April 12, he announced that he would be entering his name into the draft, but would not yet sign with an agent, keeping his eligibility if he were to return to Lexington. 

Nine days later, he confirmed that he would remain in the draft, having never played a game for Kentucky.