Shaedon Sharpe’s Athleticism Has Reached A New Height

Sharpe’s Athleticism Makes Him One Of The League’s Best

In terms of pure athleticism, Sharpe is tough to beat. His 49-inch vertical is the highest in NBA history. Despite those insane numbers, the most impressive verticals have been the trademark Shaedon dunks during games.

The NBA posted the five-best verticals of the 2024-25 season, which included Sharpe and Ja Morant. Number two was from Morant, but the rest of the five showcased Sharpe’s athleticism. The best dunk was a 45.1″ alley-oop dunk against the Utah Jazz.

With that kind of catalog, it is tough to count out Shaedon from the best athletes in the league. Of course, the league still has plenty of elite athletes. This includes the twins, Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson. But, you also have to count players like Morant and Anthony Edwards. The NBA has many absurd athletes, but Sharpe’s dunks and athleticism could take him to the Upper Room.

A Dunk Of The Year Candidate

Sharpe introduced himself to the rest of the league with that highlight poster. Many Blazers fans are clamoring for him to join the Slam Dunk Contest and possibly dethrone three-time champ Mac McClung. With a reported 49-inch vertical, Sharpe’s athleticism makes him a formidable opponent if he decides to enter.

The dunk is one of the most exciting highlights of the year. After the game, he talked about the dunk, but in typical Shaedon fashion, he was modest about it. “So when (Champagnie) had the ball, I was watching him the whole time, so I knew he was passing the ball,” Sharpe said in a post-game interview. “So I kind of read and kind of cheated, so once he threw it, I knew I had the steal. And then I seen dude in the way, so I just jumped and tried to dunk it, and it went in.”

However, Sharpe is capable of more dunks and highlights because he is a talented young player. Portland’s ongoing rebuild hinges on his development alongside budding point guard Scoot Henderson. Thankfully, these highlight plays are helpful for Portland because they are helping him build more confidence.

More Than A Trademark Dunk

Sharpe’s athleticism might make NBA fans box him into just being a flashy dunker. He is more than that, as he is one of the most promising shooting guards in the league. He is a natural scorer and a developing defender who is improving his instincts well.

The 21-year-old averages 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Efficiency is still an issue with 32.1% from long range, but he is an undeniable talent. Despite Sharpe’s superstar potential, head coach Chauncey Billups wants him to learn more about his overall game. That has led to Billups benching him, and he has positively responded.

Sharpe will partner with Henderson in the backcourt in the future. Anfernee Simons is still on the team, so general manager Joe Cronin must commit to the young core with a trade. The Blazers would want a good trade package, but it comes to a point that they must support the core.