Chicago Bulls: Top 12 point guards and scouting reports in 2021 draft
Point Guard. Auburn University. SHARIFE COOPER. 9. 20.2 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, 8.1 Assists, 1.0 Steals, 0.3 Blocks, 39% FG, 23% 3PT, 83% FT, 33 Minutes Per Game
Height: 6 Feet 1 Inch
Weight: 180 Pounds
Wingspan: Not Reported
League: NCAA
Draft Age: 20.02
Draft Projection: Late First Round
Coming into Auburn with a lot of hype surrounding him, Sharife Cooper missed most of the 2020-2021 season due to eligibility issues surrounding reports that he had contacted overseas professional basketball teams as a potential alternate route to the NCAA. Regardless, Cooper was cleared to play after sitting out twelve games and put up big-time numbers for the Auburn Tigers.
Although his scoring and assist averages are certainly telling of an elite player, efficiency and win totals tell a different story. Cooper shot the ball very poorly from the field this season, showing a bit of immaturity when it comes to his shot selection. This will without a doubt need to be cleaned up at the next level, especially his three-point shooting.
The biggest draw to Cooper will likely be his playmaking abilities, which were among the best for freshmen in the NCAA this season. His vision is without a doubt NBA-level, but taking a deeper look into Auburn’s 2020-2021 campaign, it was one of the worst the school had witnessed in years. In the twelve games that Cooper played with the Tigers, the team went just 5-7.
Though Cooper might not be a starting point guard in the NBA, with an improvement of shot selection, he could be a nice weapon off of the bench as a playmaker and scorer. Playing in a reserve role would also allow Cooper to play more freely, rather than give up touches to other playmakers.