Day'Ron Sharpe Selected No. 29 by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021 NBA Draft

Sharpe is the 54th Tar Heel drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Isaac Schade | Jul 29, 2021

Tar Heel Day’Ron Sharpe was selected 29 overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.

He is the 54th Tar Heel drafted in the first round. Per ESPN’s Bryan Ives, Sharpe is the 32nd (and final) first-round draft pick of Roy Williams career. Only Mike Krzyzewski (42) and John Calipari (38) have more.

In his lone season in Chapel Hill, Sharpe averaged 9.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.9 blocks. He shot 51.9% from the field, but just 50.5% at the free throw line, an area that will need work going forward.

The Greenville, North Carolina area native was fourth on the team in scoring, second in rebounding, and second in field goal percentage.

Sharpe has reportedly lost 25-plus pounds in his preparation for the draft and is consistently knocking down three-pointers (he attempted just two for Carolina).

The 6’11” center played his first three years of high school at South Central High School in Winterville, just south of Greenville. The Falcons went 30-1 and won the North Carolina 4A state title in Sharpe’s junior season.

He transferred to Montverde Academy (Florida) for his senior season (2019-20), where he helped lead the Eagles to a 25-0 record and a No. 1 national high school ranking (MaxPreps).

Amazingly, four different players from that Montverde roster were drafted in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. Joining Sharpe were Cade Cunningham (No. 1 | Pistons), Scottie Barnes (No. 4 | Raptors), and Moses Moody (No. 14 | Warriors).

Sharpe joins a star-studded Nets team featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

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Published Jul 29, 2021

ISAAC SCHADE

I grew up in Atlanta knowing that I was going to be the next Maddux or Glavine or Chipper. Unfortunately, I never grew six feet tall, ran 4.4 in the 40-yard dash, threw 90 m.p.h. on the radar gun, or hit 50 home runs. So I had to find a different way to dive head first into sports - writing about it. My favorite all-time sports moment? 1992. NLCS. Game 7. Sid Bream. Look it up. Worst sports moment ever? Two words: Kris. Jenkins. I live in the bustling metropolis of Webb City, MO, where ministry is my full-time job. I spend my free time with my wife, Maggie, and my two children, Pax & Poppy.