Reed Sheppard is a prominent NBA draft prospect after having an unexpectedly successful freshman season at Kentucky. Though he may not fit neatly into an NBA physical description, he is a statistics darling and a contentious candidate in the 2024 draft class.
Sheppard came into Kentucky as the 23rd overall prospect in the country. While this sounds like it would build hype, Sheppard was the fifth highest ranked player to sign with Kentucky. The Wildcats were headlined by a class that saw three of the top six overall players sign. It was Sheppard and teammate Rob Dillingham (ranked 17th overall) who came out on top however. Sheppard filled the stat sheet at 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He did this while also shooting an elite 52.1 percent from three on 4.4 attempts per game.
It was this overall impact that earned Sheppard National Freshman of The Year and second team All-SEC. Kentucky’s upset loss to Oakland in March Madness and Calipari’s exit from Kentucky will overshadow this season, but Sheppard was consistently outstanding.
There’s nowhere else to start except for with Sheppard’s three point shooting. He led the country in three point percentage at 52.1. It wasn’t like Sheppard was protecting his percentages either. He was asked to be one of the primary scorers and ball handlers this season and took 4.4 attempts per game from three. Sheppard’s other great strength is his high basketball IQ and ability to act as a secondary playmaker. With his high assists numbers, Sheppard was +2.5 in assists to turnover ratio. He was a steadying presence for a young Kentucky team that experienced a lot of highs and lows.
Another underappreciated strength of Sheppard’s is his overall defensive impact. He’s not the most athletic, but he led the SEC in steals per game at 2.5. Sheppard was a positive team defender with his understanding of positioning, angles, and coverages. He certainly outplayed his height and physical attributes to the point where he wasn’t often specifically targeted on that end.
Weaknesses
