Shaedon Sharpe Injury History

Shaedon Sharpe is a Canadian basketball player who is known for being an explosive shooting guard for the Portland Trail Blazers. Born on May 30, 2003, in London, Ontario, Sharpe played at H.B. Beal Secondary School. He then moved to the United States and first attended Dream City Christian School in Arizona. Then in his junior year, Sharpe gained a reputation as a five-star recruit. Sharpe was drafted seventh overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Sharpe's rookie season showcased his promise as he averaged 9.9 points per game. Sharpe brought a unique intensity to the Blazers’ offense, as he averaged 15.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists during his sophomore season in 32 games. On March 29, 2023, in a game against the Sacramento Kings, Shaedon Sharpe scored 30 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded seven assists. With this performance, he joined an elite group—LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Luka Dončić—as one of the only teenagers to ever achieve such numbers in a single game. When you're in a company like that, it’s clear you’re on the right track.

Damian Lillard’s departure in 2023 marked the end of an era in Portland, but with Shaedon Sharpe, a new era began. Sharpe’s growth and commitment to the game is important for the Trail Blazers as he could be the one who could reshape the franchise for years to come.

Shaedon Sharpe’s Injury History

After a healthy rookie season in 2022-23, Shaedon Sharpe has faced major injury problems in his sophomore year and beyond. These injuries interrupted his development and limited his time on the court. Here’s a look at Shaedon Sharpe’s injury history in the NBA:

Major Injuries Shaedon Sharpe Sustained in the NBA

Posterior Labral Tear in Left Shoulder, (October 2023)

Sharpe’s first injury occurred during the 2023 NBA Summer League when he suffered a small posterior labral tear in his left shoulder on July 7, 2023, in a game against the Detroit Pistons. According to a report on the NBA's website, the Portland Trail Blazers official social media confirmed the diagnosis after MRI, and he was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the Summer League. He began rest and rehabilitation and recovered in time for his NBA debut, so he did not miss any 2023-24 regular-season games due to this injury.

Right Adductor Strain (December 2023)

Shaedon Sharpe began his sophomore NBA season strong by playing 26 consecutive games. However, on December 19, 2023, during a game against the Phoenix Suns, Sharpe suffered a right adductor strain and was ruled out for the second half, as reported by Oregon Live.

According to Blazers Edge, this right adductor strain injury caused Shaedon Sharpe to miss five games between December 21 and December 29, 2023. He subsequently returned to the Portland lineup on January 1, 2024, against the Suns, a team against whom he was initially injured 11 days prior. However, Sharpe played under the minute's restriction as he worked his way back to full health.

Lower Abdominal Strain Surgery (January - June 2024)

On January 11, 2024, Shaedon Sharpe left a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder just after 21 minutes of game time due to a lower abdominal strain. According to ESPN, this injury first seemed like a smaller setback but once initial rehabilitation showed limited progress, Portland Trail Blazers medical staff opted for surgical intervention.

Blazers Edge reported that Shaedon Sharpe underwent successful core muscle surgery at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia on February 9, 2024. Although he was initially expected to be sidelined for six weeks, complications extended his recovery period. This ultimately caused Shaedon Sharpe to miss all the remaining 45 games of the 2023-24 season. He was selected to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge at the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend but was replaced by San Antonio Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan. This injury also led to his omission from the Team Canada roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Overall, this was an injury and subsequent surgery that had an initial six-week timetable but it ended up sidelining Sharpe from basketball action for six months.

Posterior Labral Tear in Left Shoulder, (June - November 2024)

After returning from abdominal surgery in June 2024, Shaedon Sharpe re-injured his left shoulder during the first week of training camp for the 2024-25 season. Sharpe was yet again diagnosed with the posterior labral tear. It was the same shoulder where he faced a similar injury in October 2023.

Sharpe was eventually ruled out of the 2024 Summer League, preseason, and the first eight games of the 2024-25 regular season. Around October 2024, he engaged in non-contact drills and shooting practices while recovering, and eventually returned on November 7, 2024.