Billups Knows Shaedon Sharpe’s Potential as the Blazers’ Star

After the game, Billups showed his pleasure for Sharpe’s 22 points during his 23 minutes.

“We hope so. That’s what we are doing, us and the staff. We were pushing him to be great. He was really good tonight in his minutes, and he just looked under control at all times. He got to wherever he wanted to,” Billups said in his postgame press conference.

“[He] went in there and got some good rebounds for us,” he continued. “I think Shaedon can be an exceptional rebounder with his physical gifts. He had a good game.”

Sharpe Always Had the Potential to be the Blazers’ Star

As the #1 recruit from the high school class of 2022 before reclassifying, Sharpe always had the potential. He has unbelievable physical traits, with his athleticism being his biggest strength. However, he also has a natural knack for scoring, which is evident as he has matured in the NBA.

Of course, there have been some bumps in the road for Sharpe, even with his natural talent and physical gifts. Thankfully, Billups is a big believer who wants him to shine. The performances in training camp and against the Warriors are good signs. Teammates like Jrue Holiday have raved about Sharpe’s development in the offseason.

As long as he continues down this path, the future will be bright. Portland already has its long-term backcourt with him and Scoot Henderson. The Blazers might have Damian Lillard back, but the long-term plan is clear as day.

Billups’ Rotation is Still Up in the Air

Every Portland fan can agree that Sharpe’s potential could make him the Blazers’ star. He has all the tools to become an All-Star in Portland. The fans know Lillard as the star, but Sharpe can grow into that role.

That will require him to receive regular starter minutes, but that is not assured in Portland. Billups’ rotation can change game by game, which might slow down Sharpe’s development.

Billups loves challenging his players, including Sharpe. The dynamic shooting guard played as a backup for a few weeks in early 2025. As long as he can thrive within the system, he should be a valid Blazers building block alongside Henderson.