Not that it qualifies as breaking news, but jumping as highly as Shaedon Sharpe does certainly comes with perks. On January 11, 2025, the Portland Trail Blazers’ aerial artist illustrated one in particular, as he sprung through the air long enough to make a mid-flight decision: hammer home the alley-oop himself, or whip a pass to a teammate? As if remembering basketball’s old adage about “assists making two players happy,” Sharpe — recognizing the Blazers’ numbers advantage during a three-on-two transition runout — selflessly unleashes an in-air behind-the-back dime, positioning his first-year teammate for a highlight bucket. As close to a “walking highlight” as the current-day NBA has, Sharpe found no shortage of them during his 37-minute cameo, even during Portland’s loss to the Miami Heat. Taking another leap, both literally and figuratively in Year Three, the breathtaking swingman finished with 22 points, three rebounds, five assists, one block, and three 3-pointers. · Jan 12, 2025