Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard enters NBA draft after being named top freshman by SEC coaches
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky reserve guard Reed Sheppard, who was voted the Southeastern Conference’s top freshman by coaches after leading the league in steals, says he will enter the NBA draft.
The London, Kentucky, native was considered one of the conference’s best playmakers and perimeter shooters. He said in a social media post that it was time to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA and asked fans “to go with me” in a one-minute video.
Sheppard‘s father, Jeff, was the 1998 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and helped the Wildcats win two national titles, and his mother Stacey scored 1,000 points for the women’s team at Kentucky.
Sheppard only started five out of 33 games, but he was Kentucky’s third-leading scorer with 12.5 points per game and led the SEC in steals with an average of 2.5, which was eighth in the US.
Sheppard averaged 4.1 rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the SEC in assists per game, and made 52% of his 3-pointers. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association named him the nation’s best freshman, and he was awarded the Wayman Tisdale Award.
Sheppard and fellow freshman Rob Dillingham, the top sixth man in the SEC, who declared last week, are the two Wildcats to enter the draft.
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Kentucky Star Disregards Family Ties To Mark Pope With Decision To Declare For The NBA Draft
This offseason, Mark Pope emerged as the winner of the Kentucky head coaching search, and he will now take over for John Calipari. Pope had previously been the head coach at BYU, where he qualified the Cougars for two NCAA Tournaments.
Despite his prior affiliation with the program, having played for the Wildcats’ 1996 national championship squad, not everyone was overjoyed to see him appointed.
Much of that letdown was due to the program’s swinging and missing on more notable names.
Speaking with the administration, Dan Hurley, Billy Donovan, Scott Drew, and Nate Oats all stated, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and the ‘Cats were forced to move down the candidate list.
When Pope received the call, he was delighted to go back to Lexington.
His connection to the club that won the 1996 championship was one advantage he did have. He was well-versed in the rich history and culture of the area, and he also had an intriguing connection to star player Reed Sheppard.
Since Jeff Sheppard also played on the championship team, many thought Pope might have some influence over Reed’s decision to stay in Lexington.
Unfortunately, that bond didn’t prove strong enough to convince him to stay.
Reed Sheppard is spurning Mark Pope to play in the NBA.
It was announced on Thursday that the guard will enter the NBA Draft, foregoing the rest of his college eligibility.
“Kentucky is home,” he said in a video posted to social media. “Kentucky will always be home, however, there is another part of my dream – to play basketball in the NBA. I believe it is time to pursue that dream.”
The announcement indicates another player lost since Mark Pope’s arrival, which is a jab at the Wildcats.
A handful of contributors, including as center Zvonimir Ivisic, who moved to Arkansas with John Calipari, have accessed the transfer portal.
In his lone season with the program, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points per game, holding his finest performances for the final stretch of the campaign. In his past fifteen competitions, he recorded nine consecutive double-digit finishes.
This featured three scoring bursts of 20 points and a season-high 32 points against Mississippi State in February.
Some evaluators believe he will be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, therefore he is aiming to take advantage of his high draft position.
