Emmanuel Sharpe’s Draft Run Includes Workouts With 13 Teams

Emmanuel Sharpe, the son of Derrick Sharpe, is expected to be selected in the 2026 NBA Draft in the second round, during the night between Wednesday and Thursday. A Sport 5 article published on June 23, 2026, detailed the behind-the-scenes preparation that has taken him to this point.

According to the report, Sharpe held workouts for 13 teams, including the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson praised him, saying, “Emmanuel will be an NBA player for a very long time,” and added that whichever team drafts him will be getting “a winner.”

Sharpe said that at these workouts, “there’s usually the whole coaching staff,” including general managers, coaches and assistants, who sit and watch the entire session. Houston assistant coach Anthony Goldwire also spoke about him, saying he had checked with Celtics assistant Sam Cassell, who said Sharpe played hard and can score. Goldwire said players who come through Houston’s program “do one thing for sure, they come in and keep our culture in Houston.”

The article also said Sharpe worked with coach Irv Roland, who has past experience with the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and James Harden. Roland, described as knowing how NBA teams structure draft workouts, put Sharpe through agility drills, shooting work and 3-on-3 games. Sharpe said the process helped expand his game, and reflected that he overcame “a lot of difficulties” to reach this point, despite “all the hate, all the criticism.”