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Why Day'Ron Sharpe Is a Game-Changer for the Brooklyn Nets
Throughout most of the current season, the Brooklyn Nets have grappled with injuries, with Nic Claxton recently returning from injury last week; however, Day’Ron Sharpe has consistently proven to be a valuable contributor coming off the bench.
While head coach Jacque Vaughn opted to start Dorian Finney-Smith as a small-ball center in Claxton’s absence, Sharpe made sure to make an impact in his minutes off the bench. Now that the starting center is back, the North Carolina product brings good continuity to the rotation with his skill set.
“I feel like every minute is important. The minutes I do get, I try to go in, play as hard as I can, and do what I do,” Sharpe said after the November 8 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. “If it’s 10, 20, 5, I’m still going to try to get 10 boards, regardless. So, at the end of the day, I’m just playing hard trying to help the team win.”
Sharpe brings good size off the bench
The Nets are more of a wing-focused team because of the abundance of players standing at 6’6” to 6’8” on the team. They need some good size on the squad which comes in the form of Sharpe and Claxton who are 6’9” and 6’11” respectively.
Even as he comes off the bench, Sharpe is adept at securing rebounds in bunches, a crucial element for the Nets who aim to swiftly transition from defense to offense. His skill in initiating fast breaks by finding teammates showcases his value, and in transition, Day’Ron’s unstoppable momentum makes him a force at the rim.
He is also a beast on the offensive rebounds as he times his jumps well and he uses his body to box out. The former Tar Heel has done well with his put-back points as he makes the most out of his minutes while doing that.
The Nets trust Sharpe
Being just 21 years-old, and in his third year in the league, Sharpe has become a serviceable big man. He stands out as a premier offensive rebounder in the league, demonstrating a keen instinct for tracking the ball. In his initial two seasons in the NBA, he maintained the league's highest offensive rebound percentage, averaging an impressive 21.7% per game.
Moving forward, you can expect Sharpe to be a valuable piece in the rotation as the Nets look to keep working for a Playoff spot by April.
