ABOUT JOE

Joe Sharpe enters his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans as Head Athletic Trainer. The Bedford, VA, native brings over two decades of NBA experience to the organization. Sharpe most recently spent six seasons (2018-24) with the Charlotte Hornets as the Director of Healthcare and Sports Performance. Prior to joining the Hornets, Sharpe spent ten seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-18), serving as the senior athletic trainer and spending four seasons (2004-08) as head athletic trainer for the Charlotte Bobcats. Sharpe entered the NBA in 2002, serving as the head strength and conditioning coach/assistant athletic trainer with the Minnesota Timberwolves for two seasons, which included the team’s Midwest Division title and run to the Western Conference Finals.

Sharpe was the head basketball athletic trainer at the University of Connecticut from 1993-2002, which included the Huskies 1999 NCAA Championship season. Sharpe has been an active participant with the USA Basketball program dating back to 2002. During the summers of 2012 and 2016, Sharpe won a gold medal while serving as an athletic trainer for the men’s USA Basketball Olympic team. He won gold while serving as an athletic trainer for the men’s USA Basketball teams at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2014 FIBA World Cup. His involvement with USAB also includes serving at the Under-18, Under-19, and University World Games.

Sharpe has served as chairman of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers’ Association and is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. He is also a certified performance enhancement specialist (PES) and corrective exercise specialist (CES) with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a Select Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) Level 1 and Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Level 1 with Functional Movement Systems, and a Level 1 Medical Specialist with the Titleist Performance Institute. He has pursued advanced training in dry needling, manual therapy, acupressure, and acupuncture. In 2007, Sharpe participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sharpe also regularly speaks to young athletes about performance and health, as well as student groups interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine.

Sharpe developed an interest in athletic healthcare as a three-sport athlete at Liberty High School. He attended Old Dominion University, where he received a Bachelor of Education with emphasis in Sports Medicine, and a Master of Education with emphasis in Athletic Training.