Just two days into Portland Trail Blazers training camp, guard Shaedon Sharpe is already standing out with his play, at least to new teammate Jrue Holiday.
Holiday was asked by media on Wednesday if any
players have surprised him at camp. The 22-year-old Sharpe was top of mind for the veteran guard.
“Shaedon, man,” Holiday said. “I think everybody knows the talent that he is and what he can do, but that boy can hoop.”
Holiday said he was familiar with the fourth-year guard’s game heading into camp since he had played against him in previous seasons as an opponent. Those matchups also meant Holiday had watched film and read scouting reports on Sharpe. Still, it’s a different experience now that he’s playing with and against him on a daily basis.
“When you go up against him in practice, first-hand, every single day — he’s got it,” said Holiday, using “it” in the proverbial sense.
Holiday, a two-time NBA champion and six-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree, was even humble enough to admit Sharpe had been scoring on him.
“He’s been cooking me,” Holiday said. “He’s been cooking me, for sure.”
Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups also gave a flattering review of Sharpe’s first two days of camp. He said Sharpe was playing well on both sides of the ball, but he highlighted his offense, in particular.
“Offensively, he’s in a really nice rhythm,” Billups said. “He’s getting where he wants to go with the ball, even against our pressure, and we pressure. We’re very physical.”
Sharpe’s solid play was one insight taken from Wednesday’s media availability session, which included interviews with Billups, Holiday, center Donovan Clingan and Sharpe himself. Here are 14 more pieces of intel from day two of camp.
- Beyond Holiday, Billups said the team has “plenty of options” when it comes to how it might fill Scoot Henderson’s absence from the guard rotation while he recovers from a torn hamstring. They could rely more on playmaking from non-point guards like Deni Avdija and Sharpe or give minutes to new Blazers fourth-year guard Blake Wesley or rookie Caleb Love. He said the role is up for grabs.
- “We’ll take a peek at all of them in different situations, different practices, different drills, putting different combinations with different guys,” Billups said. “We always like to have multiple ball-handlers and playmakers on the floor, depending on how teams play you. They’ll all get their chances.”
- Billups said he liked Wesley’s speed on both sides of the ball.
- “He’s picking up guys full-court and turning guys,” Billups said. “He’s being really disruptive out there. Offensively, he’s one of those really fast, Scoot-speed type of guys. He just pushes the pace and puts pressure on you.”
- Sharpe said Holiday displays his veteran leadership by talking often to teammates and pulling them aside to help explain concepts. He highlighted one instance from camp when that tutelage helped him on defense.
- “There was a coverage we were trying to cover, and I messed up on it, and he talked [me and another teammate] through it” Sharpe said. “The next time it happened, it was better.”
- Sharpe also said he spent the summer working on his all-around game — his shot, his handle, his defense. He said his shot feels more fluent.
- When asked what would make for a successful training camp, Sharpe said he was stealing Billups’ answer to the question from Tuesday. “Just everyone being healthy while getting work in,” Sharpe said.
- The answer revealed Sharpe watches Billups’ interviews from time to time.
- “I watch some of them,” he said. “I pay attention.”
- After using the summer to get in better shape and improve his conditioning, Clingan said he’s reaping the benefits of that work during camp.
- “I feel like there are times when I could just keep going,” Clingan said. “Today, I played, I don’t know, nine, 10, 11 minutes straight with no sub, and it felt great. Just knowing the work I put in this summer, and seeing it here in live play, it’s a lot of fun.”
- Clingan also called Blazers rookie Yang Hansen’s footwork “elite,” among other compliments he gave to Yang.
- Initially, Clingan walked over to the reporting scrum to be the first player interview of the day. But right as he was getting in position, Holiday used his vet status to move Clingan out of the shot and get his interview done first. “It’ll be quick, it’ll be quick,” Holiday said.
Training camp for the Blazers will continue in Tualatin through Friday, which means Blazer’s Edge will have more practice reports for you coming soon!
