Rookie Shaedon Sharpe has played in five games over the last two years. He’ll get his first NBA start in his sixth.
With Damian Lillard sidelined with a right calf strain, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has decided to start the 6-6 guard in his first season out of Kentucky Friday night versus the Houston Rockets. Sharpe will start alongside Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkic.
‘I see (Sharpe) as a guy who’s a major part of the future and wanted to give him a chance,” said Billups. “It’s always good to see a young player play with veterans, they can cover up a lot of his inexperience. So I just think it was a good opportunity and a good time to say ‘Let’s put him out there.’”
Sharpe, who did not play during his one season at Kentucky, has impressed in his first few games as a professional, averaging 8.4 points on 47 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent shooting from three, 3.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks in 16.4 minutes, all as a reserve. He posted 15 points, eight rebounds and a steal in his last game, a 119-98 loss to the Heat, and with Lillard out at least one week, Billups decided to give the rookie a chance to run with the team’s most veteran players for an extended period.
‘When you play with vets as a young player they can actually help you through the game in real time,” said Billups. “I’m excited for him, I’m sure probably a little nervous. I think it’ll be good.”
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ROOT SPORTS PLUS and Rip City Radio 620 AM.