The Brooklyn reserve is stepping up as a scorer. Here's how Sharpe was able to sharpen his game.
The Brooklyn Nets have watched one veteran quietly put together career-best numbers at the NBA All-Star Break.
Day'Ron Sharpe is averaging 8.5 points per game, plus improved his assists (2.3) and rebounds (6.7) per contest. And he's pulled it off through 51 games of action including four starts.
Sharpe remains overshadowed by the likes of Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton -- the former Brooklyn's leading scorer and the latter the top big on the Nets. Even rookie performers Egor Demin and Nolan Traore have claimed the spotlight too over the rise of Sharpe.
But how did the former first rounder and past North Carolina star Sharpe become so sharpened this season?
Nets assistant and past NBA big Juwan Howard has a lot to do with Sharpe stepping up. The former Michigan basketball star and Wolverines head coach has delivered a hand in refining Claxton's game. He's also sharpening Sharpe during practices and in games.
Howard dove into the development of Sharpe via the Nets Pod with Sarah Kustok. What was the first area Howard needed to refine regarding the 6-foot-11 talent?
"I looked and saw that there was a part of his game that we need to work on and improve on and that was his finishing in the paint," Howard said on his appearance with the Nets Pod.
Howard expanded further into how Sharpe has improved his game -- including mentioning the rebounding and shot-making component that needed to become enhanced.
"[During] offensive rebounding when he gets the ball sometimes, he rushes his shot and there are times when he's off-balance," Howard explained. "There are times when he's trying to score [over] a smaller player that he struggled with."
So how was the past member of the famed "Fab Five" at Michigan able to re-tweak Sharpe?
"I'm looking at how his body is going east and west, falling back, and he's trying to shoot the ball," Howard said.
That correction has benefitted Sharpe greatly on the scoring end. Sharpe showed that improved shooting patience against the Indiana Pacers despite the loss: Dropping 19 points in the 115-110 loss before the All-Star rest period.
Sharpe has delivered three different 19-point outings for Brooklyn during the month of February. He'll aim to finish off a strong month once the Nets return to action on Feb. 19 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road.
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