A new era of Brooklyn Nets basketball is upon us. Kevin Durant is in Phoenix, Kyrie Irving is in Dallas, and the young Nets are ready to follow up a successful 2022-2023 season in which they finished sixth in the Eastern Conference.
In just over a week, the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Barclays Center to open the 2023-2024 season.
Mikal Bridges, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson, and Spencer Dinwiddie are the faces of the new-look Nets, the perfect mix of superstar young talent and veteran leadership.
Brooklyn has a tremendously high ceiling this year, but they need young players to step up to reach that ceiling. Here are three Nets poised for a breakout season.
3. Day’Ron Sharpe
Sharpe has averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game through two NBA seasons. Expect both of those to rise this season. The 21-year-old North Carolina product will be the primary backup to Nic Claxton this year and should fly past his career average of 11.8 points per game.
The 6’9, 265-pounder has all the tools to be a physical force on offensive and defensive ends. During game one of Brooklyn’s first-round series with Philadelphia last April, Sharpe flashed his potential, scoring six points and grabbing six boards with four assists and this chase-down block of James Harden.
Day'Ron Sharpe with the rejection 😤
— NBA (@NBA) April 15, 2023
Royce O'Neale converts on the other end!
📺 ESPN | #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/ZWbrOTVEKO
Sharpe averaged 16.4 points and 14.5 rebounds per 40 minutes last season. As he gets more minutes and time to develop, his numbers will only continue to grow. Remember, he is just 21 years old.