London’s Shaedon Sharpe arrives in Portland following NBA draft
You could say Thursday night was a slam dunk for the Forest City and for London, Ont. native Shaedon Sharpe.
Sharpe was drafted into the NBA and was picked seventh overall by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Speaking to CTV News Friday afternoon shortly after landing in Portland with his family, Sharpe said he is looking forward to what lies ahead.
“[I’m] feeling really good, really just excited to get started,” he said. “We flew into Portland this morning. Got a little tour around the place, so I mean I’m just getting really excited to get started.”
Sharpe credits the hard work he put into playing basketball and support from his family and friends as propelling him throughout his journey.
Shaedon Sharpe, right, shakes hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected seventh overall by the Portland Trailblazers in the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 23, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
He admitted that he was nervous during Thursday night's NBA draft because he didn’t know where he was going to end up.
The former Beal Secondary School student was technically a Kentucky Wildcat, but had never played a game prior to the draft.
Speaking to CTV News Friday, his father Robert Sharpe said he could not be more proud of all that this son has accomplished.
“I think the key to his success was, you know, we have a great group of people — our circle we maintain very small, but you know, he’s got awesome, awesome support from his grandparents, to his parents…brother and sisters — we sacrificed a lot,” he said.
“We all went above above and beyond the call of duty to help him reach his dream,” Sharpe’s father added.
The first game of the 2022 season for the Portland Trail Blazers will kick off on Oct. 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.