The Kentucky Wildcats aren’t even out of March Madness yet, but one of their players is already getting plenty of attention from NBA scouts and fans.
The latest freshman who is expected to be out of the campus by June is freshman guard Reed Sheppard. He may look like the kind of player who would have committed to Duke, but he’s definitely balling for the Wildcats this season.
As the team prepares for March Madness, it’s not a bad idea to look at this potential lottery selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Reed Sheppard has impressed with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2024
NBA fans who only look at the points per game might be underwhelmed by the hype surrounding Sheppard. It’s true that 12.8 PPG doesn’t catch the eye the same way Zion WIlliamson’s 22.6 did.
However, you’re looking at the wrong area of the stat sheet. His percentages are insane for a freshman: 54.3% from the field, 52.5% from deep, and 83.1% from the charity stripe. Those kinds of numbers are valuable for teams in need of a reliable scorer to either start or come off the bench.
Sporting News’ Stephen Noh writes more about what makes the kid from London, KY shine:
Sheppard is more than just a gunner. He has good court vision and actively looks to set up teammates. That is extremely apparent in transition, where he might be the best outlet passer in all of college hoops. He constantly has his eyes down the floor and he can fire the ball over the top of defenses with pinpoint accuracy.
Sheppard doesn’t have the best defensive tools, but he does possess A+ anticipation of where the ball is going. He has outrageously good hands, as evidenced by his 2.5 steals per game.
Sheppard is an incredibly heady player on both ends of the court who should max out his potential.
With such glowing reviews, it wouldn’t be strange to see teams in the lottery try to get him. He has the tools and skills expected out of an NBA-caliber guard.
While it wouldn’t be surprising if he slips down the draft, any team that would take a risk on him will get a talented gem who could flourish into a star under the right conditions.
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