Despite a season-ending surgery, Day’Ron Sharpe had a career year.
But he’s intent on honing his body to be even better in 2026-27.
“Everything’s been going pretty good post-surgery, just rehabbing now, trying to stay in shape and stuff like that so I have a good summer,” Sharpe said. “I’d say I feel like I could do better, but I’ve shown growth this season. So it’s just all about showing growth and getting better overall.
“From Year 1 to now, I feel like this season was another year of growth, so I’m just trying to build off that and continue to show growth in my career.”
Speaking to the local media for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb, Sharpe was coming off his best season.
Sharpe averaged career highs of 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and shot a team-best 60.1 percent overall. He’d always struggled finishing around the rim amid taller centers, but he took a quantum leap in that category as well.
He’s worked to reshape his body over the years, dropping baby fat and leaning out. But Sharpe will look to take another step toward that end.
“My body still has been one of my biggest things,” said Sharpe, 24. “So just my body in general because I want to be more explosive next season. I’m trying to dunk on guys more next season.
“My 3-pointer — I believe I can shoot the ball great — so just keep building my confidence in that area and just being more comfortable with the ball in my hands. The style of basketball we play, we run a lot of split game, so just being more comfortable with the basketball in my hand so I can make better decisions when I have the basketball in my hand.”
Part of that focus on reshaping his body was to make himself more explosive vertically, to dunk on one end and to protect the rim on the other.
But it’s also to enable him to play more extended minutes, and possibly vie with Nic Claxton for a starting role.
“I’d say both,” Sharpe said. “Me working on my body helps me be more vertical overall, just losing some weight, also. And then the style of basketball I play, for me to be able to play that style of basketball for longer periods of time. So I’d just say both.”
Since joining the Nets, Sharpe has been a backup, but as he has consistently improved, he’s become more and more of a viable contender for the starting job.
After inking Sharpe to a team-friendly two-year, $12.5 million contract last summer, the Nets hold a $6.25 million team option for next season. But he’s outperformed his contract, despite the abbreviated campaign.
Would he negotiate a long-term extension this summer?
“I don’t know,” Sharpe said. “Whatever the team has in plan for me, that’s what they got.”
Sharpe’s offensive rebound percentage (18.5) is the best in league history for players who’ve logged 200 games. But he’s rebounding out other parts of his game.
“It’s been his work ethic and how much he’s matured, and credit to him to put the work in and being consistent, how he’s changed his body,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Very happy. Not just the work ethic and the production, but also the type of person that we have in the locker room. Day’Ron has got a big personality, fills the room, everybody loves him and that’s important for a group. And he cares and he wants to compete and he wants to get better. The sky’s the limit for him.
“We’ve been working with him playing longer stretches, and when Nic’s been out, he’s been able to do it.
“Those experiences are important. And it’s not just me saying it, it is within those two that are our centers and the anchor of defense. When they’ve played very well, our defense has been very good. There’s areas of improvement from efficiency to percentages and shots, but I’m not really worried because if he continues with this trend, everything is going to work out very well.”
