BB Recruiting

Shaedon Sharpe Releases Official Announcement Declares for NBA Draft, Keeping College Eligibility

Published

4 years ago

April 21, 2022

247 Sports

This morning the Big Blue Nation was abuzz after several reports from reputable sources came out that Shaedon Sharpe would be entering and keeping his name in the NBA Draft.

Sharpe has since released a statement announcing that he is putting his name in the draft, but contrary to those reports, he says he is still maintaining his college eligibility.

pic.twitter.com/ERdmPdyyUI— Shaedon Sharpe (@ShaedonSharpe) April 21, 2022

With that said, I wouldn’t get your hopes up for a return, as The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker tweeted that the NBA still expects Sharpe to keep his name and be a top-10 pick.

Officially “testing the waters.” The NBA side expects him to stay in and be a top-10 pick. https://t.co/R5oke4cXJV— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) April 21, 2022

So if all reports and signs indicate that Sharpe will be staying in the NBA Draft, why is he maintaining his college eligibility?

Back in February, it was first reported that Sharpe would be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft, but it has never been made certain. Just over two months from the draft, there are still some concerns, as could be assumed from his statement and decision to keep his college eligibility.

While Sharpe, at 19 years old meets the age requirement, his graduation date has created the biggest hiccup. Based on the way NBA League rules are written, “players must be one NBA season removed from high school graduation to be eligible.”

Sharpe was believed to have graduated in December, but a representative of Shaedon Sharpe’s high school, Dream City Christian, confirmed to ESPN he graduated in May of 2021.

According to the rule, if Sharpe can prove that he graduated before October 19, 2021 (the start of the 2022 NBA season) he will be deemed eligible. With that said, the NBA doesn’t rule on draft eligibility until you actually put your name in, hence why he is declaring but keeping open both options.

I don’t how difficult it is to find out when someone graduated high school, but it is definitely a unique situation, to say the least.

With Sharpe’s announcement going against prior reports, it means one of three things: The reports are wrong, no one knows his draft eligibility, or they are changing the message from a PR standpoint to mitigate the negative response.

For all intents and purposes, it should be assumed that Sharpe is going to the NBA, but there seems to be a minuscule chance that he could still be ruled ineligible, in which a return to Kentucky is still an option.

Sharpe will have until 11:59 PM EST on June 1st to make an official decision.

Related Topics:NBA NBA Draft Shaedon Sharpe

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

Published

2 weeks ago

June 7, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN?

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day.

The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white.

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand.

BB Recruiting

Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

Published

1 month ago

May 18, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.