While technically there is a possibility of a return based on draft eligibility concerns, which you can read about here, for all intents and purposes, it should be assumed that Sharpe is going to the NBA.
Since enrolling early at Kentucky, Sharpe and his camp have repeatedly said that he came early to prepare and would play for Kentucky in the 2022-23 season. With that no longer looking to be the case, it comes off as poor form.
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It’s okay to be frustrated, because let’s be honest, we were lied to and I truly believe the coaching staff was as well. Taking Sharpe and his camp’s word at face value came back to haunt them.
I don’t put much blame on Sharpe, but rather on his handlers. If they had been more transparent about the situation, the negative response would not be as bad, but they weren’t and may have even made it worse with one report saying they “affected the narrative and are quite amateur”.
Looking back to his decision to enroll early, let’s take a look at some now questionable comments made by Sharpe, his camp, and even Calipari.
October 25, 2021: “He will not be going to the NBA Draft” – Mentor
Sharpe’s mentor, Dwayne Washington, was interviewed by the Lexington Herald-Leader’s Ben Robertswhere he swiftly dismissed any talk of the NBA Draft.
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“He will not be going to the NBA Draft. That’s not even something to talk about. That’s like saying, ‘Are you going to go to Mars tomorrow?’”
November 9, 2021: “100%, I will be at Kentucky to play next season” – Sharpe
In coordination with his announcement to enroll in the spring semester, Sharpe was interviewed by Sports Illustrated’s Jason Jordan.
In the interview, Jordan asked Sharpe about the prospect of playing this season, where he answered, “I’ll do whatever the team needs, but 100% I will be at Kentucky to play next season.”
December 31, 2021: “There has never been a plan to play him” – Calipari
Following Kentucky’s win over High Point, Cal was asked about Sharpe with the spring semester starting soon, providing this quote:
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“We haven’t talked about (him playing), the family hasn’t talked about it. My guess would be, he’s fine. Let’s get him in shape and go from there. There was never a plan to play him. I left that out there so everybody would panic, but there has never been a plan to play him. But, let’s get him here and work him out, see how things are, and see how our team is.”
January 12, 2022: “You get in early, you’ll be able to see Shaedon work out” – Calipari
With UK’s spring semester starting January 10th, Sharpe was then able to join the team. On January 11th, Sharpe traveled to take on Vanderbilt, where he was throwing down between-the-legs dunks in pre-game warmups.
This was followed by what may have been the worst PR move from the Kentucky side of things, with Calipari telling fans to “come early” to see a glimpse of Sharpe.
“Come early. Come early. Alright, here’s what I’m going to tell you. You get in early, you’ll be able to see Shaedon work out. So if you want to be the first to see Shaedon work out, he’ll be on there doing pregame and you’ll get to see him and say — You’ll be the first one to tell everybody, ‘I saw him.’ But you’ve got to get there early. He’ll be out there 90 minutes prior to tip-off.”
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January 14, 2022: “If he’s ready, I say let’s go” – Calipari
John Calipari followed up his previous comments by continuing to hype up a potential debut for Sharpe to play this season. When asked if a there would be a situation where Sharpe would play, Cal answered:
“I don’t know. If he’s not ready to play, I would not put him out there. I would say, come on, this kid just came here. How do you make us, you know? You can’t do that to the kid — unless he’s ready. If he’s ready, I say let’s go. But he practiced yesterday. He’s going to practice today. We’re doing stuff with him.”
January 21, 2022: “He plans on being here next year” – Calipari
“No, it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t. He plans on being here next year. He’s watching. Whether I play him or not this year, if he’s ready to be in games, I’ll put him in. He’s a great kid, and he’s doing well. And he’s going to make practices even better. He’s only been here two weeks. But, at the end of the day, you know I’m going to be for kids. That’s how I do this.”
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January 22, 2022: “If he doesn’t play this year, he’s coming back next year” – Mentor
In an interview with Kentucky Sports Radio, Washington echoed the same sentiment as Calipari in regards to Givony’s report.
“It’s pretty idiotic. Everybody knew that this was an option, but we’re not taking it. 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.”
February 2, 2022: “I feel like it’ll prepare me for when I play next year” – Sharpe
In one of Sharpe’s few media interactions during his time at Kentucky, he spoke to Curtis Burch on the “Behind Kentucky Basketball” podcast. Sharpe went on to talk about how his decision to enroll early. “I feel like it’ll prepare me for when I play next year,” he said.
February 7, 2022: “He is committed to bettering himself… this year and being better prepared to lead us next season” – Calipari
Calipari makes it official that Sharpe would not play this season, and this is in part due to some eligibility concerns regarding the mysterious nature of his graduation date, which have since been talked about.
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While the Kentucky compliance was not 100% sure, they did not want there to be the potential for any NCAA violation to affect the outcome of the season.
Calipari also doesn’t put this tweet out, saying “being better prepared to lead us next season,” if Sharpe’s camp is telling him there is a possibility of him leaving.
After talking with Shaedon and his parents, we want to end all of the speculation by again saying that he will not play for us this season.
He is committed to bettering himself and our team in practice this year and being better prepared to lead us next season.— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) February 7, 2022
February 8, 2022: This kid comes back, he’s the No. 1 draft pick
Following the day when it was announced that Sharpe would not be playing for Kentucky this season, Calipari gave his first quote in which he acknowledged that Sharpe could leave for the NBA Draft, saying, ” we don’t know yet.”
“It is what it is. I know everybody will say, ‘Well, he isn’t coming,’ Yeah, well anybody can say anything. This kid comes back, he’s the No. 1 draft pick. In my mind, he’s the No. 1 draft pick.How can I say I know what the No. 1 draft pick looks like? BECAUSE I’VE HAD FOUR. That’s why I can say what it looks like. He can be the No. 1 draft pick.
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March 21, 2022: “I hope I get a chance to coach him in real games” – Calipari
During this final radio show of the season, Calipari sounded defeated after losing to Saint Peter’s and came off with a complete lack of confidence that Sharpe would be returning, contrary to what had been said for months at this point.
“I think he’s gotta explore but he’s gotta make a decision on, ‘Alright, do I want this right now? Am I ready for this right now? Is it where I thought it was?’ Because as you go through the process, the information comes back from the NBA, not an agent or anybody else around you, it comes from the NBA…He’s another one. I hope I get a chance to coach him in real games because I enjoy him in practice and I enjoy him as a young person. He’s one of those guys but he’s a super talent though.”
April 12, 2022: “Nothing has been decided” – Mentor
Less than two weeks ago, reports from many college basketball insiders came out that said Sharpe would enter the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. However, Sharpe’s mentor again insisted that “nothing has been decided”.
Shaedon Sharpe's mentor tells me there is no news to report. Sharpe is "at school finishing the semester" and "nothing has been decided."— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) April 12, 2022
Sharpe has until June 1st at 11:59 PM to make his final decision.
You could make a case that Kentucky has upgraded its roster in several areas, but one area where they haven’t to this point, which has drawn criticism from Big Blue Nation, is the lack of a clear-cut star.
Of course, Kentucky fell short in the Tyran Stokes sweepstakes last week, but a new target has emerged, Iowa State transfer and the second-ranked player in the portal, Milan Momcilovic. Per sources, Kentucky held a Zoom meeting with Momcilovic and his representatives on Wednesday.
If that name sounds familiar, it should. Momcilovic torched Kentucky for 20 points, including four three-pointers, in March, sending the Wildcats home in the NCAA Tournament.
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The 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward is currently testing the NBA Draft waters, but is projected as an early-mid second-round selection. Meaning, there is a strong chance he would earn more money with a return to college than by keeping his name in the draft. Especially so, if the NCAA passes the “5-in-5 rule” later this month, which could give him two more seasons of eligibility.
The numbers on Momcilovic are hard to ignore. He was one of the most lethal three-point shooters in the country last season, connecting at a 48.7% clip from beyond the arc. He averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors.
The Wildcats may not get that highly ranked player they have been in pursuit of, but it won’t be without effort.
Ousmane N’Diaye, a 22-year-old prospect from Dakar, Senegal, has been on NBA Draft boards for the better part of a decade now, and his next stop is Lexington. Though the 6-10 player you see today, who is skilled, mobile, and comfortable on the perimeter, came far from a traditional basketball environment.
Born in Guédiawaye, a densely populated suburb of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, which faces significant infrastructure challenges, flooding, and poverty, N’Diaye grew up against the odds. What he lacked in material things, he gained through traditional Senegalese values, one of the most important being respect for elders. That value has helped shape his drive today, fueled by the women who mean the most to him, his mother and his grandmother.
“His main motivation is his mother and especially his grandmother,” Seydina Aboubakeur Ba said of N’Diaye, a trainer who has known him since he was a young boy. “He deeply wishes for his grandmother to witness his success, as she has always been there for him through both good and difficult times.”
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Ba has known N’Diaye since he was 12 years old, when he helped discover and invite him to join DIEDA Basketball Academy (DBA) in Dakar, a respected player development program in West Africa. The program has helped send multiple players to D1 college programs and professional European clubs.
When he first arrived at DBA, the potential was evident: great size, a natural feel for the game, and a motor that coaches could work with, creating the foundation for his growth.
“Over time, the program helped him significantly develop his shooting ability and transform into a versatile player,” Ba said. “Despite his height, he began to develop like a wing, handle the ball effectively, and move comfortably on the perimeter.”
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That kind of versatility in a near 7-foot frame helped N’Diaye garner attention from European clubs.
In 2019, he began to play professionally, starting with Dragons Rhoendorf, a German professional club that competes in the country’s third-highest division. While playing for Rhoendor in 2020, ESPN highlighted a then-15-year-old N’Diaye as “one of the best long-term prospects we evaluated” following a Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Chicago, playing against the likes of current/former NBA players Josh Giddey and Josh Primo.
After three seasons with them, N’Diaye moved to Saski Baskonia, which plays in Spain’s top division, Liga ACB. This past season, he played for the Italian club, Vanoli Cremona, in the LBA, Italy’s top basketball league. There, he averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds on 32% shooting from three.
When asked which NBA player N’Diaye models his game after, Ba, without hesitation, answered Kevin Durant. An audacious comparison, but one that embodies modern basketball, which is increasingly demanding for bigs to be able to function on the perimeter, stretch defenses, and create problems in space. That suits N’Diaye’s playstyle.
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While N’Diaye has been playing basketball for a decade, he’s facing some of the most fundamentally sound opponents in Europe, which shows. Undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, there are certainly weaknesses to his game.
“Ousmane still needs to further develop his low-post game,” Ba acknowledges. “He needs to improve certain aspects of his defense in order to become a true franchise player at the highest level.”
The biggest knock on N’Diaye is his poor decision-making at times, but it may be due to his role.
“The context behind his rushed decision-making is trying to be a spark off the bench in limited minutes and ball touches,” international scout Ersin Demir explains. “N’Diaye’s lack of composure takes away the capability to execute easy reads.”
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At Kentucky, both N’Diaye and head coach Mark Pope see an opportunity to refine those areas to help him make the move to the highest level in basketball.
“His biggest strength is his desire to be the best,” Ba explains. “He responds very well to coaching. He is a disciplined player who listens carefully and also likes to engage with his coach to better understand and improve. When it comes to criticism, he accepts it.”
With NBA aspirations, N’Diaye remains grounded. “A very simple and humble person,” Ba explains. “Quite shy, who enjoys staying in his own space and building a quiet world around himself.”
As for a message to Kentucky fans, “Give him a lot of love, and I’m sure he will give it back.”
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From poverty-stricken Guédiawaye to the biggest stage in college basketball, N’Diaye is a success and is still writing his story.
Mark Pope is on an international search to help fill Kentucky’s roster. Already singing Senegalese prospect Ousmane N’Diaye last week, a new target has emerged.
On Tuesday night, following a visit with the top ranked prospect prospect in the 2027 class, CJ Rosser, Pope caught a flight to JFK airport in New York City, and from there to Tel Aviv, Israel to visit 23-year-old Brazilian prospect Marcio Santos. Note, he would be 24 years old at the start of next season.
Santos currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club, a club that plays in the Israeli Premier League and internationally in the EuroLeague. Having won six EuroLeague titles, and sending a number of players to the NBA Draft, including Deni Avdija and Omri Casspi, the club is considered to be one of the best in all of Europe.
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In his first season with the club, Santos is averaging 6.9 points, 1.6 boards and 0.6 steals on 40% shooting from deep.
Prior to playing with Maccabi, Santos spent a season with German club Ratiopharm Ulm, averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 boards and 0.8 steals in the German League, helping them reach to the playoff finals.
Santos started his career with Franca in his native Brazil, helping secure three straight Brazilian League crowns. In 2022-23 was part of the side that won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup and BCL Americas titles.
With a 6-8, 250-pound frame, Santos plays currently as a four or a five, being undersized for the latter with taller matchups, leading to rebounding and interior defense struggles. That said, his coach, Oded Katash, loves his versatility.
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“He can finish plays near the rim and step outside to shoot,” Katash said. “He plays with passion and enthusiasm, and knows how to show toughness and defensive aggressiveness. He’s a smart physical player who helps the team in many areas of the game. He’s a solid playmaking big man with sharp passing instincts.”
Pope flying to visit Santos shows very real interest, and according to sources, Kentucky has made an offer and are in “advanced talks” with Santos. Signed to a three year deal with Maccabi, earning $600k annually, part of the NIL agreement would be a buyout of his current contract.
Men's Basketball1 week ago
Men's Basketball1 week ago