PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe has withdrawn from the NBA dunk contest, citing a desire to focus on preparing for the final stretch of the season, according to multiple reports.
The news was reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian, among others.
"Portland's high-flying rookie Shaedon Sharpe has dropped out of the Dunk Contest in order to focus on the second half of Trail Blazers' season," Charania reported on Twitter. New York Knicks center Jericho Sims took Sharpe's place in the contest, Charania reported.
In a short article posted to The Athletic's website, Trail Blazers beat reporter Jason Quick wrote that Sharpe "figures to be in the [Blazers'] regular rotation" in the second half of the season, no matter what Portland does at the NBA trade deadline, which is Thursday at noon PST.
Sharpe, who was drafted seventh overall last summer, is playing 19.9 minutes per game for Portland this season and has appeared in 53 of the Blazers' 54 games. He ranks seventh in minutes per game for Portland, second among reserves. Sharpe is averaging 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 46.5% from the field, 33.3% from the 3-point line and 63.6% from the free-throw line."
Sharpe has 38 dunks this season, which ranks third on the team behind Jerami Grant (63) and Drew Eubanks (51), according to basketball-reference.com.
The Blazers (26-28) are currently tied for 11th place in the Western Conference, but are still within striking distance of a play-in or playoff berth. They're a half-game out of the 10th and final play-in spot and 2.5 games out of sixth place, the final guaranteed playoff position.
Portland has four more games before the All-Star break, all at home, against the Golden State Warriors (28-26), Oklahoma City Thunder (26-28), Los Angeles Lakers (25-30) and Washington Wizards (24-29). All-Star weekend is Feb. 17-19. The Blazers' first game after the break is a road game against the Sacramento Kings (30-23) on Thursday, Feb. 23.
