The Toronto Raptors have officially brought in towering center Jamarion Sharp on a training-camp deal, giving the 7-foot-5 big man another opportunity to earn an NBA foothold after a circuitous path through the developmental ranks, via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.
Sharp, 25, arrives in Toronto fresh off a dominant season with the Texas Legends of the G League, where he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Defensive team while leading the league in blocks.
In limited minutes—roughly 25 per game—he averaged nearly four swats, cementing a reputation as one of the most disruptive rim protectors outside the NBA. That defensive identity has defined his career.
At Western Kentucky, he led the NCAA in blocked shots in consecutive seasons, and he continued the trend after transferring to Ole Miss, where he topped the SEC in blocks despite modest playing time.
Undrafted in 2024 out of the Rebels, the Hopkinsville, Kentucky native has spent the bulk of his professional career with the Legends, flashing elite shot-blocking instincts alongside efficient finishing around the basket.
Toronto already had a look at him this past summer. Sharp played for the Raptors in Las Vegas Summer League and posted 7.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in about 18 minutes per game across five appearances.
The organization considered offering him a two-way contract at the time, but he ultimately signed one with the Los Angeles Clippers in early August. That arrangement proved short-lived; the Clippers waived him in late September, leaving him free to explore other opportunities.
Murphy first reported the Raptors’ interest, and the team later confirmed the signing of an Exhibit 10 contract—the type of camp deal that can be converted into a two-way agreement provided the player remains eligible.
Because Sharp has yet to appear in an NBA regular-season game, he qualifies.
To clear roster space, the Raptors waived point guard Chucky Hepburn, who had been on a two-way deal.
Hepburn suffered a hamstring injury during a preseason win over the Clippers in Vancouver, creating an opening at a time when Toronto’s three two-way slots were already filled by Hepburn, Trey Jemison and Malachi Smith.
Sharp will now compete for one of those spots alongside other camp invitees. For a player whose primary calling card has always been length and timing on the defensive end, the move offers a familiar environment and a realistic path toward his first sustained NBA roster opportunity.
Whether he can convert the camp deal into a two-way contract will depend on how he performs against a crowded frontcourt and whether his defensive impact translates in shorter, more physical preseason minutes.
At 7-foot-5 with a track record of altering shots at every level he has played, Sharp represents the kind of low-cost, high-upside developmental bet that teams often take in the final weeks of camp.
