Reed Sheppard has been one of the biggest surprises for Kentucky so far this season.
The freshman guard from London, Kentucky is averaging 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and four assists per game. Sheppard is shooting 55.6% from the field and 54.8% from 3-point range.
The 6-foot-3 guard has caught the attention of the college basketball world including that of Dick Vitale, a long-time college basketball commentator and one of the most well-known and beloved figures in the game.
Vitale took to Twitter/X to voice just how impressed he has been with Sheppard so far this season.
Sheppard has taken 117 field goals and 73 3-point shots so far this season, averaging 6.5 and 4.1 per game respectively.
For perspective, Antonio Reeves, a senior guard and Kentucky's leading scorer, averages 13.2 field goals and 6 3-point shots per game.
Vitale also mentioned how unselfish Sheppard has been on the court. Sheppard's four assists per game make him the Wildcats' leader in that category, narrowly beating out guards Rob Dillingham and D.J. Wagner who both average 3.8 per game.
Sheppard was the fourth-highest-rated recruit in Kentucky's top-ranked 2023 class.
Sheppard was a 4-star recruit with a 0.9839 composite rating according to 247Sports. Sheppard was the No. 43 player nationally, the No. 9 combo guard and the No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky.
Sheppard will be looking to keep his impressive freshman campaign going as SEC play continues to move along.
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