Sharife Cooper and J.T. Thor will be representing Auburn basketball in the 2021 NBA draft, and both have built up a significant buzz leading up to the big night. Though for a while it seemed that Cooper’s draft stock was falling enough to keep him from being a lottery pick, his ball-handling skills and potential longevity are garnering interest in the final days before the draft.
Just two weeks ago, fellow FanSided site Daily Knicks called Sharife Cooper a “big-time target” for New York, and once again they’ve linked the former Auburn basketball point guard with another orange and blue team. DK calls Cooper’s PG skills “rare” and emphasizes his ability to see the court around him.
Despite Cooper’s explosive playmaking, his small size and his inconsistency at long-range shooting remain troubling in the eyes of NBA teams. In order to be successful in the NBA, Cooper would. need to develop as a player, and DK sees the Knicks as a team that could help the young point guard succeed:
"A Cooper-Quickley backcourt off the bench would be a ton off fun and they could really compliment each other’s games. It could be a terrific environment for Cooper to grow into the best version of himself."
Cooper has the potential to be a good fit with head coach Tom Thibodeau’s offense, and with veteran point guards already on the roster to coach him up, he would be able to learn from the best:
"I believe that the most likely scenario where the NY Knicks draft Sharife Cooper is one where they also bring Derrick Rose back and keep Cooper on the bench. Who would be a beter tutor than Derrick Rose?Cooper already had a historic usage rate for a freshman guard (Since 2008, only Trae Young’s was higher) and being able to pick the brain of someone like Derrick Rose could only help him develop his primary ball-handling skills even further."
The 2021 NBA Draft is just under two weeks away, but it’s looking like Sharife Cooper may be headed up to the Big Apple for the next step in his career.