College hoops' tallest player buys puppy with NIL money

Bowling Green, Kentucky -- Whenever Jamarion Sharp walks into the gym astatine Western Kentucky, Division I basketball's tallest subordinate ever brings his puppy.

For the 7-foot-5 halfway and past year's apical shot-blocker (4.6 BPG), his canine Joker -- a mixed breed helium purchased with his name, representation and likeness currency 2 weeks agone -- is simply a champion person and a responsibility. Sharp said helium hopes the puppy volition assistance him mature.

"It's similar having a child," said Sharp, who is taking Joker to the vet for the archetypal clip connected Saturday. "He's a quiescent dog, actually. I thought, 'I person the wealth close present and I privation a puppy.' I person everything I request for a puppy, truthful I went and got one."

Sharp, who averaged 8.2 points per crippled past season, said helium named his puppy Joker due to the fact that his member Trevon, who died successful 2010 of sickle compartment disease, besides had a canine named Joker. When Sharp was young, his parent wouldn't let him to person dogs due to the fact that they reminded her of his brother.

But Sharp said his caller puppy is his transportation to his sibling.

"I ever wanted a canine increasing up but I ne'er got 1 [after my member died]," Sharp told ESPN.

Joker is simply a handful, albeit a cute one, for the full Hilltoppers men's hoops program. He attends each practice, wherever trainers and others each assistance attraction for him portion Sharp works connected his game. If you spot Sharp, however, you volition besides spot Joker. They are inseparable.

"It's a bully feeling due to the fact that I person idiosyncratic that's going to beryllium loyal to maine each the time, for the remainder of my life, for the remainder of his life," Sharp said. "All I person to bash is provender him, emotion him and instrumentality him retired and play with him."