No, that's not a typo. Your eyes are not deceiving you. This is not Big Blue Nation fanfiction.
reed shepherd The London, Kentucky, native is currently projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Ringer released his latest mock draft on Monday, and it's timely given his performance last weekend in Knoxville, where he hit seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points, moving North Laurel to the top of the draft. Ta. Shepard has been playing insanely well, and draft experts are officially buying what he's selling.
Kevin O'Connor believes the San Antonio Spurs will win the draft lottery and pair the University of Kentucky freshman with superstar rookie Victor Wembaneyama to be the franchise's next great one-two punch under coach Gregg Popovich. Expect.
“Shepard stands out as a primary option thanks to his shooting ability, playmaking acumen and defensive strength that was on display again in Kentucky's road win over Tennessee over the weekend.” No. Is it too early to catch Shepard, who is only 6-foot-3 and weighs 187 pounds?'' O'Connor wrote. “He will be the shortest top pick since Kyrie Irving in 2011 and the lightest since Allen Iverson in 1996. But while Shepard may be on the smaller side, he has the strength of the entire class and his We believe he is valuable given his potential suitability for the Spurs, whose lack of size could be alleviated by an all-time defender protecting the paint.
“Wenbanyama and Shepard could be one of the best duos in the NBA if they work together.”
Imagine going into the season and reading that sentence.
As we noticed against Lexington this season, when you separate the strengths and weaknesses of Shepard's game, the list of the former is considerably longer than the latter.
The Ringer compared his play to current Boston Celtics standout Derrick White, calling him “a threatening defender and sparkplug scorer who plays bigger than his body.”
Check out the full breakdown below.
plus
- He may be small, but he is a big defensive force with incredible instincts and quick hands. He's a nuisance to ball handlers and playmakers, intercepting feeds from across the court, swiping passing lanes, and bursting into action by staying one step ahead of screeners.
- mentally strong. Even if he makes a mistake, he doesn't get discouraged and is ready for the next play.
- Excellent shooter with a quick release and deep range. Kentucky won't feature him off screens, but his ability to shoot off the move and skill off the dribble should help his overall rise. If given space, he will pop up.
- He is an elite connective playmaker who creates gorgeous developments, kicks ahead on the break, and makes quick decisions in the half court.
- Could he be the lead point guard? His ball-handling still needs to be learned, but he has the basic handling skills needed, with a speedy left-to-right crossover and no hesitation. He also has both composure and pass vision in the pick-and-roll.
- He is an under-the-rim player, but has a soft touch with both hands and good footwork. He hasn't used the floater yet, but he clearly has the touch to integrate it.
minus
- He's a good defender, but size will always be a concern against players who can simply overwhelm him. It will take some time to learn, and there are probably limits to what he can do to suppress them.
- Needs improvement in ball pressure. He lacks solo reps and sometimes gets swallowed up by long defenders during drives. Overall, he has a habit of picking off dribbles rather than passing within the flow of the attack.
ringer
Elsewhere, Rob Dillingham went in at No. 8, giving the Cats two top-10 picks. O'Connor compared his own game to Lou Williams and Bones Hyland, calling him “an electric bucket getter who is starting to develop as a playmaker.”
plus
- A dynamic shot creator who can slide anywhere on the floor using skillful direction changes. He can also get into the paint for runners and clever layups, or pull up from behind the arc.
- He has consumed nearly half of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season, hitting them both on the move and standard spot-ups. Add in his willingness to cut and occasionally set screens, and when combined with playmaking big players, he can be very dangerous off screens and in handoffs.
- He is a skilled playmaker who can smoothly make passes off the dribble, such as cross-court kickouts and lefty wraparounds to cutters. He makes quick decisions in the flow of the attack and keeps the ball moving.
- Become a more motivated passer. Kentucky passes out in pick-and-rolls 57 percent of the time, up from 43 percent in Overtime Elite. This is an important step in his development, as he appeared to be a rough and unreliable creator at Donda Academy. By changing his game, he shows his willingness to adapt and fit into the team's concept.
- He plays with almost reckless effort on defense, helping chase shooters on screens and handoffs and swiping the ball.
minus
- He is an active but erratic defender who too often loses his position by losing hands, getting lost, or simply not understanding what his opponent is doing. There's no way to fix his lack of size, so his fundamentals will need to improve dramatically.
- Measured at just 6-foot-1 in Overtime Elite. Not only is he short, but his frame is also thin, so it is unlikely that he will be able to significantly increase his muscle mass. Even if he focuses on defense, his lack of size will always be an issue.
- If he's going to be in charge of an NBA offense, he'll need to improve his passing accuracy. He regularly swings the ball to his teammates, which can throw off his rhythm going into shots because they have to reach for the ball. He even completely misses some lobs. It's as if he's passing the ball to areas where he assumes his teammates are instead of actually reading the floor.
- Could he achieve similar results at the NBA level? He has had a solid track record in college, but his professional career will be a new challenge. Learning how to draw fouls will also go a long way in improving his interior scoring.
ringer
Ringer's mock is more fit-based, taking into account the team's projected draft position, leaving the door open for Shepard at No. 1. But the outlet's updated big board has him No. 2 overall, followed by Dillingham at No. 7. Rounding out the top 50, the list enters second-round territory with Justin Edwards at No. 39 and DJ Wagner at No. 45.
But today we're talking about #1 Reed Shepard.
(Ringer)