The Washington Wizards are adding more depth at point guard, signing Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Cooper, 24, will split his time between the Wizards and their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. He joins Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins as Washington’s current two-way players.
The Auburn product entered the NBA as the 48th pick in the 2021 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He spent his rookie season shuttling between the Hawks and their G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks.
After leaving Atlanta, Cooper became a staple in the G League with the Cleveland Charge. Across two seasons, he averaged 20.2 points and 7.2 assists per game, while improving his three-point shooting to 37.2 percent in 2023-24.
Cooper then took his career overseas, playing for Liaoning in China, Merkezefendi in Turkey, and Aris Thessaloniki in Greece before joining French club JDA Dijon in 2025. With Aris in the EuroCup, he averaged 14.7 points and 3.8 assists in 10 games.
The Wizards have emphasized player development during their rebuild. The franchise drafted Tre Johnson with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and added Will Riley and Jamir Watkins through a trade with Utah.
Washington’s backcourt rotation already features veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton alongside young guards Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and AJ Johnson. Cooper provides another layer of insurance and competition for minutes.
Two-way contracts allow players to appear in up to 50 NBA games while spending the rest of the season in the G League. The structure gives teams flexibility to evaluate talent without committing a full roster spot.
