The NBA Draft’s first round ended Wednesday morning, and the second round will follow Thursday night, when Emmanuel Sharp and Noam Yaacov could be selected. Sharp, after four years at Houston, is currently considered the likelier pick and is projected ahead of Yaacov in most mock drafts.
ESPN described Sharp as the eighth-best player still available after the first round, with analyst Jeremy Woo calling him a tough role player who can contribute immediately in the NBA, provide bench depth, space the floor with reliable shooting, and defend aggressively. Before the draft, ESPN projected him at No. 39 to Houston, The Athletic at No. 37 to Oklahoma City, Yahoo at No. 41 to Miami, Bleacher Report at No. 44 to San Antonio, and Sports Illustrated at No. 46 to Orlando. Jon Hollinger ranked Sharp 32nd overall, saying he stands out as a potential 3-and-D player in a weak draft class.
Bleacher Report did not project Yaacov, but ESPN ranked him 29th among undrafted prospects and mocked him at No. 59 to Minnesota. Yahoo had him at No. 46 to Orlando, Sports Illustrated at No. 48 to Dallas, and Hollinger placed the Israeli guard 57th overall. Hollinger said Yaacov impressed in Belgium and in six Basketball Champions League games, was average at the combine, and still has time to develop at age 21.
Sharp, 22, averaged 15.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for Houston last season, shooting 37.2% from three and training for 13 teams before the draft. Yaacov, who has already committed to Utah and could play there next season if he is not drafted, finished with 18.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for Oostende in Belgium, plus 15 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Basketball Champions League. The article notes that a second-round pick does not guarantee an NBA contract, but it does give a player draft rights and a pathway into the league.
