Shaedon Sharpe is averaging a career-high 21.8 points for the Blazers.
Many NBA fans may want to see Shaedon Sharpe in the 2026 Dunk Contest. It’s somewhat of a Portland (and NBA) social media tradition: a clip of a Blazers player’s dunks get posted, the replies fill up with “get him in the dunk contest,” and it goes from there.
Sharpe has windmill finishes, one-handed sledge hammers, float-forever-in-the-air-and-throw-it-down-type stuff that makes even routine fast breaks feel like a pay-per-view event.
But Sharpe’s 2025-26 season is about much more than just dunks.
As much as some fans may want to see Sharpe doing his best Vince Carter impression at Intuit Dome next month, Sharpe’s season has been about a lot more than his highlights. Dunks aside, he has become the kind of scorer who can carry possessions and bend a defense, not just finish what somebody else creates.
Sharpe is averaging 21.8 points per game this season, up from 18.5 ppg in 2024-25, and the biggest difference is how he’s getting his buckets. Earlier versions of Sharpe could drift into tougher shots, where his jumper was the escape when things got messy. He’s been more direct this season, taking shots at the rim (32% of his shots have come from the restricted area) while forcing defenders to make decisions.
He has also upped his free-throw attempts, from 4.5 free throws per game after posting 3.4 in 2024-25. In Portland’s win over Atlanta on Jan. 15, Sharpe scored 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting (6-for-6 on free throws) with nine rebounds and five assists. That’s a go-to-guy kind of line.
It is also a picture of what’s changed. He’s not just catching fire and riding it to a decent game — he’s scoring with rim pressure, getting to the line and making enough reads to keep the defense honest when the help shows up.
Shaedon Sharpe notches 27 points vs. Kings
Highlights from Shaedon Sharpe's 27-point performance against the Sacramento Kings.
That passing growth matters — Sharpe isn’t suddenly playing point guard, but he’s playing with better awareness when help arrives. When a second defender comes early, he’s quicker to move the ball to try to set up the next advantage. If the help comes late, he’s finishing. When the defense switches, he’s recognizing what he has in front of him. It’s a subtle change, but it turns possessions from “your turn, my turn” with Deni Avdija into real advantages.
When Sharpe pulls up now, it’s more often after he’s already threatened the rim or used a change of pace to create space. If his shot isn’t there on a given night, his ability to get to the rim (and the line) keeps the defense on its toes.
Sharpe’s defensive activity is increased (1.5 steals per game after 0.9 last season) as his 79 deflections in 2025-26 rank third on the Blazers. Steals and deflections don’t tell the whole defensive story, but they can reflect defensive awareness.
This varied production shows why Sharpe, 22, is proving to be more than just a dunker this season. His development alongside Avdija gives Portland a scorer who can create his own shots, score at the free-throw line and make defensive hustle plays.
Sharpe’s place in the Dunk Contest is unknown, of course, but he has the skills to win a Dunk Contest trophy. How far his offensive leap carries throughout the season, though, may be the more intriguing development.
