CDR has worked at the Palace the last couple of summers. The Pistons know him - and they decided to pick someone else. They didn't overlook him or fail to do their homework.

I remember back when I was hoping the Pistons would select Sam Vincent (MSU) in the draft. They passed on him an took some dude named Joe Dumars from some little school I had never heard of.

I believe Pistons took him as a backup to Tay.

Fantastic!!!!!

So "supposedly" the Pistons are in negotiations with Sharpe for a 2-year contract. Doesn't look like 1st round money was an issue . . .

Joe better not do it imo. We need to see how much he produces his first year.

Saturday, June 28, 2008
Pistons: NBA draft

Sharpe potential trumps issues

Former UAB forward looks to show he belongs with the Pistons after checkered college career.

Terry Foster / The Detroit News

First, let's get the jokes out of the way. The Pistons picked up a sleeper in Thursday's draft when they selected 6-foot-9 forward Walter Sharpe.
Sharpe was diagnosed last fall with narcolepsy, a neurological condition characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. But his story is no laughing matter.
He has so many issues -- kicked off one team, academically ineligible at two schools, arrested for disorderly conduct -- that, during Friday's conference call set up by the Pistons, the media forgot to ask him about being shot in the stomach.

There were so many issues to touch on, this matter never came up. (For the record, he was an innocent bystander struck by fragments of a stray bullet.)
Sharpe's history reads like the blueprint of a problem athlete. He was dismissed from Mississippi State after missing a team plane, being late for meetings and becoming academically ineligible.
He turned up at Alabama-Birmingham, but many of the same troubles followed him.
Before he played a game for the Blazers, he was among five players arrested following an altercation at a dance club.
He was late for practice, struggled in class and seemed lethargic.
Blazers coach Mike Davis felt something was wrong last fall and pushed for Sharpe to be tested at a sleep clinic. In Davis' mind, Sharpe was a good guy who was misunderstood.
That is when his condition was diagnosed and Sharpe began taking medication that helps him stay alert.
He takes one pill most days, two on game days or when he has late afternoon classes.
Still, it wasn't enough for him to keep up academically. He was declared ineligible for the second semester last season. That finished his UAB career after just 12 games (14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds) -- and his college career at 18 games over three years.
"I can't blame everything on having narcolepsy," Sharpe said. "I could have done better. I can't say that was the reason my college career went that way. There are some things I could have done better."
Pistons president Joe Dumars heard all about Sharpe's past. But Dumars said he met a different kid when Sharpe visited the Pistons' practice facility. They spoke in Dumars' office and over dinner. Dumars also worked the phone talking with others about Sharpe.
"We talked about all aspects of his life," Dumars said. "We talked about basketball. We talked about his troubles. His past, his narcolepsy and how that affected his life. He was frustrated about a lot of things, not knowing what was wrong with him."
If Sharpe makes the team, it could test the Pistons' team chemistry. But they've taken chances -- and succeeded wildly -- with perceived problem players in the past. Rasheed Wallace helped the team to the 2004 championship and Mark Aguirre was instrumental during the Bad Boy days.
But the responsibility is Sharpe's. He must mature as a player and adult.
"I don't need a mentor," Sharpe said. "I am a pretty smart guy. I keep myself out of trouble."
Let's be honest -- this is a second-round pick and, in the grand scheme of things, Sharpe won't make or break the Pistons.
However, he rooted for the Pistons to take him and got his wish. He owes them good play and good citizenship in return.

Hopefully, he will be a good citizen and produce. Joe has some faith in this guy, there has to be a reason.

Sharpe suffers narcolepsy, he is the 1 or 2 young males out of ten thousands.
My young man got sleep problems since late his sophormore year in high school then ensued by catplexy once in a while in his senior year where eventually caused some academic issue which made us scary. We were lucky for I had come across a neighbor who was curious about which college my young man was expecting to go to and then he suggested us to see a doctor which he had hanged around with. Now my young man has been in college for two years and right now he is in Portland for summer ESL courses.
Narcolepsy is weird and no way to be cured, but once diagnosed and began to be supported by prescribed medecine the patient is going to be okay except one thing, keep him away from any kind of weapon and steering wheel too.

Wow. Best of luck to your son! Great story and information. Thank you.

It sounds like your son is now on the right track. Good luck to him in college.

Some of the articles that came out last week made it sound like with the new medication Sharpe is on his narcolepsy is under control. However, I've been doing some reading on it and it's clear that it's a chronic condition to be managed, rather than one that can be cured.

If Sharpe turns out to be Pistons material, the NBA lifestyle is going to be a tricky for him, and the team is going to have a different set of rules for him to keep him ready to play. At a minimum, they're going to have to find a way for him to take a series of naps throughout the day, and break up his work into small sessions. If he can't find some routine that will let him be at his most alert during games it's going to be real tough for him to have any kind of consistency as a pro. I assume Joe and the staff have some sleep experts working with the team.