KB Sharp

Birthdate: April 18,1981
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
High School: Bexley (Ohio) High School (1998)
Colleges: University of Cincinnati (1999-2003)
Year Inducted: 2020

Born with the given name of Kristen Brooke, K.B. Sharp chose to go by a more efficient moniker – which is appropriate for a standout roundballer who is well-known for getting from point A to point B with no wasted movement. A product of central Ohio, Sharp developed into stardom at Bexley High School and was named first-team all-state and honorable mention All-American following her senior year.

Similarly, she continued to build her game at the University of Cincinnati and enjoyed her best statistical season as a senior in 2002-03 with 13.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 82.0 percent from the free-throw line. That earned her All-Conference USA first-team honors and set up yet another ascension – straight to the professional ranks.

The New York Liberty tabbed Sharp in the second round (26th overall) of the 2003 WNBA draft – quite an accomplishment for a 5-9, 149-pound shooting guard. During her rookie season, she saw action in a 30 games and scored a career-high 14 points against the Indiana Fever. She also had a 30-game season with the Liberty in 2004 before moving on to play for the Fever and the Chicago Sky. In her six-year WNBA career, Sharp averaged 7.1 points and 3.6 assists per outing and shot 78.6 percent on free throws.

Sharp also was given the opportunity to play for the WNBA Select Team, which competed in international competitions. In 2003-04, she played in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she helped lead her squad to the EuroCup Championship. The following year, she averaged 14.9 ppg for Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv team.

With on-court smarts to match her well-rounded game, Sharp was well-respected by teammates and opponents alike. She served as a team captain at UC after making an early impression there. Sharpe, in fact, was identified as the Bearcats’ Most Outstanding Player multiple times and in 2002 won the team’s coveted Ball of Courage and Insane Chain awards. That season, she also had 205 assists, which broke her own school record of 170 set just a year earlier. Her 1,214 minutes played in 2001-02 also set a new program high point.