The Sacramento Kings trio of rookies should all see opportunities to get minutes this upcoming season. Emanuel Sharp has been praised by people around the team as a player who could help the Kings' defensive shortcomings.
The Sacramento Kings have added significant talent through this year's NBA Draft, adding the forward pair of Emanuel Sharp and Alex Karaban, and the presumed point guard of the future in Darius Acuff Jr.
Acuff is expected to carry a significant offensive load in Sacramento's backcourt, with Karaban and Sharp filling in as culture setters and 3-and-D guys with the bench unit.
For Sharp, who was the final pick of the trio, earning minutes this upcoming season will be determined by his consistency from distance and his effort level on the defensive end.
Longtime play-by-play announcer Mark Jones praised Sharp on SacTown Sports Wednesday, saying that he is one of the players he is "really excited about."
Jones referenced Sharp's ability to help set a work ethic standard, even as a rookie, while saying that he has "Scott Perry's signature" all over him.
Perry had talked about the team wanting to add physical players through the draft who had winning experience with their collegiate programs.
Sharp made it to the Sweet 16 or beyond in each of his four seasons with Houston, including a national championship berth two seasons ago.
Last season, as a senior, Sharp became the 3-point make career leader at Houston, making 309 deep balls during his tenure.
After failing to start a game in his freshman campaign, Sharp was a full-time starter for the rest of his tenure, averaging 12.6 points or better each year.
This past season, Sharp averaged a career-high 15.5 points per game, shooting the deep ball at 37.2-percent.
But, perhaps the most valuable trait Sharp brings is his mentality and coachability, with notoriously tough Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson praising his four-year player for his resilience and work ethic, saying he'll remember his ability to "walk through the storm."
The wing position is crowded on Sacramento's roster, with players like Nique Clifford, Malik Monk, and Ben Simmons filling in alongside Sharp, but his defense could put him above the top.
Jones talked about his defensive pressure displayed at Houston and in the Summer League, joking that opposing teams will need a "restraining order to keep him off people defensively."
This will be a big need for Sacramento, who has no shortage of offensive talent, but could struggle with consistently getting stops on defense.
Against top-six pick Keaton Wagler and the Los Angeles Clippers, Sharp visibly pestered the former Illinois guard, picking him up full-court and getting in his chest early and often.
This type of defensive intensity has become a rarity in today's NBA, but teams value a bruising defender who can also space the floor from three.
