NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, And The Best Of The Rest
By Evan Wheeler
26. Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, 6-foot-0 wingspan
Class: Freshman
Age: 19
Mike’s Ranking: 27
Evan’s Ranking: 27
Sharife Cooper is a lighting quick playmaker who mainly thrives in transition. If you allow him free space on the open floor, he will slice and dice your defense with ease. The faster and more chaotic the tempo the game is played at, the more success he seems to have.
His playmaking also extends to his maestro ability in the pick-and-roll, showcasing the ability to direct an NBA offense in the halfcourt. Cooper’s pro comparison for me would be former NBA point guard and 2009 first-round pick Ty Lawson.
Cooper is a dynamic dual-threat in the PnR, he picks defenses apart off the high screen and roll. He's got an arsenal of passes at his disposal and really is a maestro utilizing them in situations like these. This bounce pass is art. pic.twitter.com/yRy7Tz4Vi2
— Evan Mazotti (@Evzsz) February 10, 2021
His first step quickness is as elite as they come and could be the best in this class, but his shooting and size provide real questions about his ultimate upside. Cooper only shot 39 percent from the field and 23 percent from beyond the arc this season at Auburn.
If he cannot address those shooting deficiencies he possesses due to a slow-release and overall poor mechanics, Cooper’s potential as a playmaker and scorer will be vastly reduced.