BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

Congratulations to Martin County’s new graduates. This class finally started to see a sliver of normalcy after the historic COVID years. They watched a pandemic sweep across the world and change lives as we knew them. I hope they carry good health and positivity as they start their new beginnings.

Now let’s look the other way and talk some Kentucky Basketball. Shaedon Sharpe has until June 1 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft. All I can say is good riddance. I’m not sure Calipari knew what he was in for when he signed the No. 1 player in the country. After promises and reassurance from Sharpe’s handler that he would suit up for the Wildcats next season, it’s now a 99.9% chance that he won’t be back.

NBA scouts are not happy with the lies surrounding Sharpe’s camp. When TyTy and Wheeler went down with injuries later in the season, we now know that Sharpe’s family wanted him to play, Cal wanted him to play, and Sharpe wanted to play. His “advisor,” Dwayne Washington, shut that down.

“He’s not there to sit on the bench and wave at fans. He’s coming back next year,” Washington told us.

Guess what, guys? Sharpe is not coming back, and all he did this year was sit on the bench with a melancholy look on his face. Cal told us to show up early for a game to watch Sharpe warm up. That’s the extent of his participation.

We were a practice facility for the top player in the nation. But what else would you do when the No. 1 guy comes knocking on your door? There’s no other option. YOU TAKE HIM.

Cal did the right thing in bringing Sharpe to campus. I can’t blame him for the false statements from Sharpe’s team. Did we ever really believe that this guy would play for us? Once a new date for his high school diploma appeared out of thin air, the hopes we had quickly diminished.

If Shaedon Sharpe is drafted top 5, Dwayne Washington will come out of this a genius. His guy hasn’t played in a basketball game in almost nine months, which was only against high school teams.

Something we’ve learned in the past few years is that it’s hard to read a player from high school games alone. Cough cough Devin Askew. Sharpe could absolutely bomb and still make that cash. But a year at Kentucky could have brought him the newly available NIL deals.

Oscar Tshiebwe will go down as a favorite player for most. He has already solidified himself as the most likable guy to put on a Kentucky uniform. Sharpe will be remembered as the One Who Never Was.

Strap on your boots, guys. I’ve got a whole summer to spill my UK basketball thoughts after that St. Peter’s loss.

I’ll end this with a “congrats and sad to see you go.” One of my fellow teammates and longtime friends from Sheldon Clark, Jordyn Harless, resigned as head volleyball coach. Whoever can snag her up will get an absolute steal. She has dedicated her life to Martin County and changed lives for the better.

Another former teammate and friend of mine, Carla Booth, relocated to Hazard. Her husband, Todd Howard, was hired as Hazard’s head basketball coach. Congratulations to them both. OnPoint Ballers will be highly missed in Martin County.

Until next week, that’s all folks.