Former Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe, the seventh overall pick in the NBA draft, on Friday signed his rookie scale contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, the team announced.
He will make $5,010,800 next season as the No. 7 pick.
Sharpe, the No. 3 recruit in the high school class of 2022, had a brief stop in Lexington with the Wildcats after enrolling at the university in January. He never suited up for head coach John Calipari and ultimately opted to leave for the draft.
Despite not playing, Sharpe was still viewed as a lottery pick given his athleticism and ability to defend with a 7-foot wingspan. He was a bit of an unknown, considering he last played in high school, but has plenty of potential to grow, which is what appealed to Portland.
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Sharpe, who was born in Canada, averaged 24.1 points and six rebounds during the 2020-21 season at Dream City Christian in Glendale, Arizona. He also helped Canada earn the silver medal in the 2019 FIBA U16 Americas Championship, averaging 13 points and 3.7 rebounds.
The 19-year-old is expected to participate with the Trail Blazers in the Las Vegas Summer League starting on July 7.
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