The Sacramento Kings spent part of their draft haul trying to patch two obvious needs: more perimeter shooting and more help on the wing. Emanuel Sharp fits squarely into that plan, and the question now is how quickly he can turn that fit into real minutes.
Sharp was the last of Sacramento’s three rookies to arrive, joining Alex Karaban and point guard Darius Acuff Jr. as part of a class aimed at helping the Kings turn things around. His path onto the floor this season will come down to two things: whether his 3-point shooting translates and how much he gives on defense.
SacTown Sports’ Matt George believes the answer could come sooner than expected. On Monday, he said it would be "very difficult" to keep Sharp off the court, pointing to how comfortable the rookie looked in NBA Summer League and in offseason runs against NBA talent. George said Sharp showed he could shoot at a high clip in those settings.
The résumé backs up the shooting. In his senior season at Houston, Sharp became the program’s career leader in 3-pointers made with 309. He also helped the Cougars reach the Sweet 16 or beyond in all four of his seasons, including a trip to the national championship game two years ago.
Sharp’s college arc was steady from the start. He didn’t start a game as a freshman, then became a full-time starter for the rest of his time at Houston, putting up at least 12.6 points per game every year. This past season was his best scoring year yet, as he averaged 15.5 points per game while shooting 37.2 percent from deep.
Beyond the numbers, Sharp’s appeal also comes from the way he carries himself. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson praised his toughness and work ethic, and said he would remember Sharp’s ability to "walk through the storm."
Sharp echoed that winning mindset after being drafted. "I bring a lot of winning DNA...we know how to win. If we just buy in to the coaching staff and what they're telling us, I think this team will be great," Sharp told ABC10 News' Kevin John.
Sacramento’s front court already has young pieces in Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Nique Clifford, but Sharp and Karaban could carve out roles because of what they bring defensively. Sharp often took on the toughest guard matchup in college, picking up opposing ball-handlers at half court and applying heavy pressure.
That kind of edge could matter for a Kings team that has no shortage of offensive firepower, but still has to prove it can get stops with any consistency. Sacramento will spend the season sorting out which young players can help now and which ones can help shape what comes next.
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