Our player preview series on the 2027 Clippers continues with two-way rookie big man Jamarion Sharp.
Basic Information
Height: 7’5
Weight: 235 pounds
Position: Center
Age: 25
Years in NBA: Rookie
G-League Stats: 7.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 4.1 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game across 39 games played on 73.5/42.9 shooting splits (1.1 FTA) with 74.2% TS
Contract Status: Two-way contract
Expectations
There usually aren’t many expectations for two-way players, and that’s even more true for undrafted rookies like Sharp, who was signed by the Clippers over the summer after going undrafted in 2024. However, due to the Clippers’ weakness at center, some people think that Sharp will have a real role on this team. Certainly, early in the season, before Yanic Konan Niederhauser gets healthy, there’s a chance that Sharp gets into the rotation if Brook Lopez or Isaiah Jackson is out with injury, sickness, or foul trouble. Sharp is the third-string center right now, and the Clippers no longer have viable small-ball options, so it’s not hard to imagine him getting minutes. If he does, the hope will be he’s just competent enough to keep the Clippers from actively sinking during his minutes. Anything more than that would be gravy.
Strengths
Sharp is an exceptional shot blocker who averaged 4.1 swats in 25 minutes in the G-League, and averaged an incredible 4.6 blocks one season in the NCAA (albeit in a mid-major conference). He is so tall that opposing players will think twice before shooting around the basket with him there, and he clearly has good enough coordination and reflexes to make simple reads in alignment with defensive schemes. Anytime he plays real minutes, he seems like a lock to get a block or two as well as deter multiple other shots.
Sharp is not a prolific scorer by any means, but he shot 73.5% from the field last year in the G-League, 60.1% the year before that, and close to 60% at Ole Miss. He is so tall that he can probably convert one or two easy lobs/finishes per game, especially when playing with guys like Darius Garland and Keaton Wagler that are adept playmakers. Being tall results in easy buckets, even if they aren’t frequent or fancy.
Sharp’s sheer height also makes him a threat on the offensive glass. He’s not strong or athletic enough to be a dominant presence out there, but he can simply reach and grab balls before almost anyone else on the court can, and he is so close to the basket that any offensive rebound should result in a finish or foul.
Weaknesses
Sharp offers almost no value on the offensive end outside of offensive rebounds (he’s not strong enough to be a true force there but is so tall he gets a decent amount) and simple finishes around the rim. Sharp can’t shoot, he can’t dribble, he can’t pass, and he can’t make free throws. Thus, if he plays for a significant period and is having an impact, a “Hack-a-Sharp” could be employed upon him. It’s very tough to play guys in the modern NBA that have no ball skills, even big men, and that is something the Clippers will run into if Sharp makes his way into rotation minutes.
There is also seemingly a degree of fatigue that will dog Sharp. Humans his size being able to run and jump up and down frequently is crazy enough, and it’s notable that he averaged only 25 minutes per game in the G-League and never played more than 29 minutes per game in college. The physicality and athleticism of the NBA game could be really tough for Sharp. It’s doubtful he’d play extended minutes outside of garbage time anyway, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
On defense, while Sharp is a monster rim protector, he does not have the lateral quickness to switch at all out on the perimeter. I would guess that when he plays, the Clippers will have to run pretty standard drop defensive coverages to protect and optimize Sharp. Some all-time defensive players have relatively limited schematic capabilities, but it’s something the Clippers will have to work around.
Summary
Any player with Sharp’s dimensions has at least some intrigue. There are not many 7’5 human beings in the world, and even fewer of them that can play professional sports. The lack of skill removes most of that intrigue, but Sharp should be able to offer rim protection and have some fun highlights, and for a fourth-string center on a two-way deal that’s fine. I don’t imagine Sharp having a long tenure on the Clippers, but who knows.