With the 45th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Kings selected Emanuel Sharp, a 6’3 shooting guard from Houston.
Sharp spent all four collegiate seasons playing for the University of Houston before entering the draft. Last year, he started all 37 games and averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 37.2% from three (on 7.1 attempts a game). Sharp is also known as an excellent defender despite being undersized who plays with toughness, while on offense settling into an off-ball catch and shoot role. Over 60% of his field goal attempts this season came from beyond the arc.
Here’s a little more on Sharpe from one of the best evaluators out there, the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie:
I tend to like players who come from the Houston ecosystem and have been there for multiple years because they’re tough and enter the NBA with an understanding of defensive principles. Sharp fits into that lineage well. He was a Big 12 All-Defense player who crawls underneath his opponents and tries to frustrate them. He also knocks down shots at a high level with a quick release and good shot prep.
I couldn’t give a first-round grade to Sharp largely because he’s too small and doesn’t have the skill level outside of shooting. I worry that his intersection of athleticism and size will cause too many issues. Still, I’d love to take him in the second round and see if it works.
And for a little more on what drive’s Sharpe, take a look at this profile from PaperCity.
Sharpe joins the Kings as a rookie along with Darius Acuff Jr. and Alex Karaban who were selected yesterday. Welcome to Sacramento, Emanuel!
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