Reed Sheppard had a surprisingly breakout freshman season at Kentucky that’s made him a top NBA draft prospect. He’s a polarizing prospect in the 2024 draft class as he’s a statistical darling who may not fit perfectly into an NBA physical profile.
Reed Sheppard 2024 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
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.
Strengths
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
Sheppard’s major concern rather than a true weakness is his lack of ideal NBA height and athleticism. His physical profile at six-foot-three with an average wingspan has caused concern regarding his true ceiling at the next level. Defensively, it’s tough sledding as an undersized NBA-guard, especially when elite athleticism or length can’t be depended on to compensate.
Next, this lack of ideal physical attributes also limits Sheppard in his shot-creation abilities. He isn’t going to blow by or create his own space against many NBA defenders. He projects to need craft and good use of screens on offense to get quality shots. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it does limit his upside to become a primary creator or ball-handler for NBA teams.
How much stock you put into Sheppard’s physical attributes as opposed to his statistical brilliance will sway your thoughts dramatically one way or another.
NBA Comparison
A high-end comparison for Sheppard could be Malcolm Brogdon, currently with the Portland Trailblazers. Brogdon isn’t going to blow anyone away athletically, but his toughness and craft on both ends of the floor turned him into one of the better combo-guards in the NBA for a stretch. Brogdon also was top five in the NBA in three point percentage for the 2022-2023 season. Sheppard’s self-creation and height aren’t on Brogdon’s level, but there’s a pathway in which he could reach this ceiling.
Even if the shot-creation doesn’t come along though, Sheppard could remind many of Grayson Allen with the Phoenix Suns. Allen also led the NBA in three point percentage this season.
2024 NBA Draft Projection
Lottery Pick
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