Emanuel Sharp announced he would return to school, to the vocal dismay of the Houston Cougars fan base.
Emanuel Sharp Returns to Mixed Reactions
When Houston guard Emanuel Sharp announced that he is return for his senior season, the reaction didn’t truly fit. Instead of being met with hope and praise, the word choker floated towards him. Sharpe helped lead the physical but undersized Cougars on a run for the ages, culminating in a two-point loss to the University of Florida.
While Sharpe didn’t enjoy his best game, with only eight points and three rebounds, he did give his team a chance to win the game at the end. The Big 12 Tournament MVP gave the Cougars excellent outside shooting and crisp on-ball defense. Yet, in the thoughts of some, the blame for the loss falls squarely on Sharpe’s shoulders, as this tweet suggests:
Some of the Houston fan base wants the loss to be solely Sharp’s fault. With the game within two points, Houston’s ball. Sharp caught himself in midair, either he thought about faking the shot and passing or stepping back. No one of that occurred, as he needed to release the ball and could not touch it again.
Choker
— TigerD (@TigerD707) April 17, 2025
In 1993, Chris Webber’s ill-fated timeout allowed North Carolina to win. Yet, Webber enjoyed a long NBA career, making millions in the process. One split-second of on-court indecision should not define a player.
However, Sharp’s teammates came to his defense, and rightfully so. Senior guard LJ Cryer detailed what should’ve happened at that point in time to The Sporting News/MSN.
“It was like a stagger for me,” Cryer explained. “Then it was going to be an elevator screen for Emanuel right after I caught it. I don’t think we used the elevator screen… I think they forgot to set the elevator. But he came off of… like a pin-down… and I guess he was about to shoot it but he came up and down.
“Normally he shot fakes it, then shoots it. I mean, it was a mistake. I made a mistake the possession before that. So, we’re not going to put the whole game on that one play for sure. We just not going to do that.”
That is the type of teammate that everyone needs. Cryer didn’t blame anyone. In fact, he highlighted his own gaffe earlier in the game. It goes without saying how badly Sharp felt after the game. The junior crouched down with his head firmly buried in his hands.
The Cougars didn’t need anyone to tell them how badly they needed to feel. Camera shots from every conceivable angle showed those emotions to the world.
The comfort of sitting behind a monitor or phone and delivering judgment looks like the most comfortable job in the world. Far too many people will throw out a choker label without understanding the process. Additionally, these alleged adults feel justified in piling on what could ultimately serve as the lowest moment of Sharp’s life.
KEEP READING: Kelvin Sampson Secures Three Five Star Commitments as NCAA Runner Ups Boast a Stacked Squad
Without him, Houston does not sniff the championship game. Did they forget that he averaged 20.6 points in the Big 12 Conference tournament, nailing down a number-one seed in the process? Or, how about connecting on 40.7% of his three-point attempts?
The most time and distance that Emanuel Sharp places between that moment and his next game will ultimately make him a better player and the Houston Cougars even more dangerous. Time may heal all wounds, but it doesn’t erase game film or memories.
Sharp should use that moment as fuel and motivation to never endure anything like a closing sequence of a game like that ever again. As is the case for all sports, a player will always learn more from winning than losing.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
