The Toronto Raptors are taking a swing on size, and Jamarion Sharp is impossible to miss.
At 7’5”, Sharp arrives with the kind of frame that turns heads before he even touches the ball. But this isn’t just about height. The Raptors are betting on a player whose calling card is elite rim protection, the sort of defensive presence that can erase mistakes and change the look of a game around the basket.
Sharp is 24 and already has a résumé built on stopping shots. He was a two-time NCAA blocks leader and a two-time Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.
His college path ran through John A. Logan College, Western Kentucky, and Ole Miss, and across that stretch he averaged 6.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game.
During his junior season at Western Kentucky, that shot-blocking number climbed to 4.6 per game.
Even with that kind of defensive profile, Sharp went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. That didn’t end the pursuit.
He landed with the Dallas Mavericks on their 2024 NBA Summer League team, then signed a deal with Dallas in August. The stint didn’t last.
The Mavericks waived him in October before the season began, and Sharp moved on to the Texas Legends in the G League. There, he put up 6.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks in 29 games.
Sharp got another crack the next summer, returning to the Mavericks’ Summer League team and signing an Exhibit 10 contract before being waived again. Back with the Legends, he turned in his best season yet, averaging 7.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game while earning G League Defensive Player of the Year honors for 2025-2026.
After that, Sharp signed with Vaqueros de Bayamón of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league and made history as the tallest player ever to appear in a game. He also produced big numbers there, averaging 23.0 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 7.2 blocks per game.
Now the Raptors are giving him another runway through Summer League, with hopes that he can grow into a paint protector for the 2026-27 NBA season.
The defensive upside is obvious. The questions are on the other end.
Sharp’s offense is limited, with most of his scoring coming off lobs and put-back dunks. He also weighs 235 pounds, but still gets moved off his spots because of his thin build.
And his free-throw shooting remains a concern; in the 2025-26 G League season, he shot 39.3% from the line.
Still, the attraction is clear. A player who can alter shots at the rim has value, and Sharp has done that at every stop.
If he can add strength and round out his game, the Raptors may have found a real steal. For now, it all comes down to what he shows this summer.
If he impresses enough, a contract could follow, and with it, a long-awaited NBA breakthrough.
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