The Case for Giving Sharife Cooper Another Chance in the NBA

Despite not adding any outside pieces in free agency, the Charlotte Hornets still have a deep roster. There is a healthy balance of options for every position except for point guard. LaMelo Ball will be getting heavy minutes this upcoming season, and both James Bouknight and Terry Rozier are capable of filling in. However, neither of them is a true point guard and they both benefit from playing off the ball.

With only one true point guard on the roster, signing another playmaker with their final two-way contract spot should be in Charlotte’s short-term plans.

Enter Sharife Cooper.

A five-star prospect coming out of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, Sharife Cooper was ranked 20th overall in ESPN’s 2020 Top 100. Cooper became him the highest-rated signee in the history of Auburn Tigers basketball when he joined the program.

Cooper entered college with lofty expectations from the Auburn fanbase. However, due to an ongoing NCAA investigation into his eligibility, Cooper was forced to sit out of the first 12 games of the season. When he was finally granted permission to play on January 9, 2021, against Alabama, Cooper scored 26 points and dished out 9 assists.

The Freshman All-SEC point guard did not slow down afterwards. He would go on to average 20.2 points per game with an NCAA-best 8.1 assists. He became one of only two freshmen in the past 30 years to average 20 points and 8 assists per game, the other being Trae Young. Cooper assisted on 52% of Auburn’s offensive possessions while he was on the floor, and his 51.5% assist rate would have led the nation if he had played enough games to qualify.

After such a standout season, everyone saw that Cooper had the potential to become a high selection in the 2021 NBA draft. However, Cooper eventually fell into the back half of the second round.

After being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 48th pick, it appeared that Cooper had a chip on his shoulder. During Summer League, he quickly showcased his talents as a floor general, averaging 14.8 points and 7.3 assists per game.

Cooper spent most of his rookie campaign playing for the Hawks’ G-League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, on a two-way deal. Cooper answered questions about his ability to successfully run a team in a heavy usage role as he put up 17.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.3 assists a night with the Skyhawks in 22 games. He managed to score over 30 points on four occasions, including a 42-point performance and a 37-point triple-double.

Cooper was starting to look like the steal of the 2021 Draft and the perfect backup for Trae Young.

However, it would become apparent that he was neither of these.

Fast forward to the summer of 2022 and all eyes were on Cooper. Cooper was widely expected to demonstrate his readiness to act as Atlanta’s backup point after Delon Wright’s departure in free agency.

However, just as Summer League was about to begin, the Hawks made a blockbuster deal that landed them All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, putting even more pressure on Cooper to earn playing time.

With plenty to lose and not much to gain by playing in Las Vegas, Cooper had on one of the worst two-game stretches ever by a non-rookie in the Summer League. In his first two outings, Cooper averaged just 1.5 PPG on 7.1% shooting. He would finish his second Summer League tenure averaging just 4.4 PPG on 18% shooting from the floor.

Nine days later, Atlanta waived him, and he has remained unsigned since.

So, why should the Hornets consider using their final two-way spot on a player who is clearly on the cusp of being out of the league?

Sharife Cooper’s upside outweighs his subpar performance so far

Cooper has a level of creativity and playmaking that very few basketball players have. He has tremendous knowledge of the movement around him; he knows where his teammates will be and where his opponents will be at all times. This offensive awareness is not something that can be taught, but when coupled with the skill level that Cooper has, it makes for a rare point guard prospect.

Cooper can also score when needed. Even though he is undersized, he is effective at getting to the rim and finishing with either hand. He has a floater and an in-between shot, which is vital for smaller guards. The biggest drawback to Cooper’s offensive game is his inability to consistently make set jumpers from the outside. However, with more time in both Charlotte and Greensboro, Cooper could become a passable catch-and-shoot player from deep.

The Hornets have one two-way contract still available. Bryce McGowens is already on a two-way deal, and Scottie Lewis figures to be in the conversation for the other. However, it is hard to argue against an undersized floor general with a vast amount of upside as a scorer. Cooper could provide the team with a reliable ball distributor in case of an injury to Ball. Charlotte currently has an abundance of talent, and Cooper would have plenty of time to further his development.

One poor showing in Summer League should not be the reason for Cooper’s time in the league to come to an end. Taking a chance on a high-upside player such as Cooper could payoff for Charlotte in the long run.