By Larry Vaught

John Calipari says he does not think Shaedon Sharpe will play this season but also does not rule out that it might happen

Posted: November 19, 2021
Vaughts Views

Shaedon Sharpe (Dream City Christian Photo)

Kentucky coach John Calipari didn’t exactly slam the door on guard Shaedon Sharpe playing for Kentucky this season when he arrives on campus next month. Sharpe was the No. 1 player in the 2022 recruiting class before recently deciding to reclassify, graduate early from Dream City Christian (Ariz.) and enroll for the second semester at UK. He said initially he just wanted to work out with the team and then would play the 2022-23 season.

The idea is that Sharpe will benefit more from practicing against current UK players than he would playing another year of high school basketball.

Sharpe, who turns 19 in May, then added he would do whatever Calipari wanted and if that included playing this season, he would be willing to do that.

So could Sharpe play this season?

“I don’t think so,” Calipari said Thursday when asked if Sharpe might play this year.

Don’t think so is not quite the same as NO.

Then Calipari only added to the intrigue.

“But when he gets here — he may not be in any kind of shape to really do it — but we’ll see,” Calipari said about playing this year.

We’ll see? Again, that’s not anywhere close to a no.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard averaged 22.6 points per game during the regular season portion of the Nike EYBL when he shot 36 percent from 3-point range in July.

Kentucky lost C.J. Fredrick for the season to a leg injury but is still stacked at guard with Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington, Kellan Grady, Davion Mintz and Dontaie Allen — Allen is already struggling to get significant minutes.

Yet Sharpe is now rated No. 3 overall in the 2021 recruiting class by Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Duke’s Paolo Banchero — a player UK had no answer for in a season-opening loss. It might be hard for Calipari not to play a player that talented no matter who might lose playing time when he arrives and maybe that’s why the UK coach left the door open for Sharpe to play this season.