Shaedon Sharpe has built a reputation as one of the most moving dunkers in the NBA since being drafted seventh overall in 2022 by the Portland Trail Blazers. But on Wednesday night he took it to a whole new level.
Sharp threw a ferocious one-handed slam in front of Washington Wizard Justin Champany and was soon welcomed as one of the best dunks of the season. The 21-year-old called it the greatest dunk of his career, and was part of Portland’s best career performance in a 129-121 victory.
Portland coach Chauncy Billup remained amazed by the play.
“I just started laughing like, ‘Wow, man. A poor kid under him,'” Billup said. “It was pretty incredible.”
Sharp didn’t just dominate the highlight reels. He led the Trail Blazers with a career-high 36 points, shooting 13 of 26 out of the field and hit seven of four important throws. He also grabbed eight rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes.
The evening moment came from Sharp’s quick defense. He intercepted a pass over the 3-point line, and surged into the paint with one dribble, firing so high that even his teammates were in awe.
“I don’t know where he got it,” the Blazers moved forward with Deni Avdija. “I asked him on the bench. I don’t know, it’s just genes.”
The dunk was so strong that Sharp temporarily hit the floor after washing the net off.
“I interrupted the man and looked at it,” Sharp said. “So I just tried to jump and dunk it. It went in.”
Billup praised Sharp’s all-round performance, calling his offensive display “incredible” and highlighting his defensive contributions and rebounds.
“On all three levels, he was incredible all along,” Billup said. “And his rebounds – he got a really, really, really big rebound for us.”
With this incredible dunk and a career-high outing, Sharp has revealed that he is more than just luxury. He is a rising star in Portland.