The Shaedon Sharpe saga took another twist Thursday as news broke that the five-star Canadian basketball prospect reportedly graduated in May and would be eligible to enter the 2022 NBA Draft.
Sharpe's draft status has been muddled since leaving Dream City Christian School in Arizona last fall. Many assumed he would need to play a year of college basketball before being eligible for the NBA, hence his enrollment at Kentucky in January, but reports began leaking in recent weeks that he might already be eligible due to Canada's academic system.
Dream City Christian officials on Thursday told ESPN and The Athletic that Sharpe had graduated in May, although he went on to play on the Nike EYBL circuit in the summer and in other games this fall, adding to the confusion surrounding his status. At one point, his camp had also presented an October graduation date, which would require a year at the college level before being eligible.
Sharpe, a 6-foot-6 wing who was the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2022, confirmed Thursday via his social media accounts that he intends to enter the draft while maintaining his eligibility to return to the Wildcats. He is projected by some analysts to be a Top 10 pick.
"I'm not sure what my future holds beyond today," Sharpe said, "but I do know I have to take this next step to officially go through the process to test the waters and receive feedback."
Added UK head coach John Calipari in a statement released by the school: “Shaedon and his family told me that he intends to put his name in the draft while retaining his eligibility, and they have my full support to test the process just as every player does.
"Shaedon has been a great teammate and has handled everything that comes with being a college student-athlete the way he should. Since he arrived on our campus, he’s been an integral part of our program and he’s already registered for summer and fall classes, but we support this decision to explore every option and make the best decision for his future based on all of the information he can receive.”
The deadline for withdrawing from the NBA Draft and returning to college is June 1.
