Emanuel Sharp is one of three rookies looking to help turnaround the Sacramento Kings. How will we fare this upcoming season and what will his role be?
The Sacramento Kings' draft haul addressed multiple holes on the roster, adding perimeter spacing on the wing in Emanuel Sharp and Alex Karaban, and adding the point guard of the future in Darius Acuff Jr.
For Sharp, who was the final pick of the trio, earning minutes this upcoming season will be determined by how well he shoots the 3-ball and his effort level on the defensive end.
On Monday, SacTown Sports' Matt George gave his opinion on Sharp's potential impact this upcoming year, saying he thinks it is going to be "very difficult" to keep him off the court.
George noted his comfortability in the NBA Summer League and various offseason runs against NBA talent, where Sharp showed the ability to shoot at a high clip.
Last season, as a senior, Sharp became the 3-point make career leader at Houston, making 309 deep balls during his tenure.
Sharp made it to the Sweet 16 or beyond in each of his four seasons with the Cougars, including a national championship berth two seasons ago.
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."
"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 after being drafted.
The Kings do have a lot of young talent in the front court with Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Nique Clifford, but both Sharp and Karaban could see minutes for what they bring on the defensive end.
For Sharp, he frequently took it upon himself to guard opposing teams' top guards in college, picking them up at half court and applying significant ball pressure.
This will be a big need for Sacramento, who has no shortage of offensive talent, but could struggle with consistently getting stops on defense.
The Kings will be looking to show improvements this upcoming season, while identifying which players give them the best chance to compete going forward.
After landing in Sacramento, Sharp said "every year is a new chance to start something good," adding that he believes this year's incoming draft class and returning talents are the group to do it.
If Sharp can consistently hit from deep, while serving as the defensive stopper off the bench, he will likely find his way to minutes.
