Reed Sheppard is officially off to the NBA Draft
Sheppard is entering the 2024 draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
He announced the news Thursday on Instagram.A McDonald’s All-American in the class of 2023, Sheppard came to Kentucky with major fanfare as the son of former Wildcats Jeff and Stacey Sheppard. However, even the most optimistic fans could not envision the kind of season we’d witness from the North Laurel product.In 33 games (five starts), Sheppard averaged 12.5 points on 53.6% shooting and an absurd 52.1% shooting from 3-point land. He also averaged team-highs in assists (4.5) and steals (2.5).
Sheppard did struggle on defense, but so too did most of this season’s roster, so it’s hard to tell just how good of a defender he’s capable of becoming. He’s currently projected as a lottery pick in every major NBA Mock Draft, so it’s easy to see why his career has come to an end.
It’s unfortunate we didn’t get to see Sheppard lead Kentucky on a deep postseason run. On the other hand, his emergence saved the 2023-24 Kentucky Basketball team from being a disaster. It’s frankly terrifying to think what kind of season that would have been if Sheppard hadn’t been here.
Don’t be sad he’s gone. Be glad we got to enjoy the time he was here.
