Is Reed Sheppard staying at Kentucky? Predicting Wildcats guard's future in college basketball
It's certainly been an interesting offseason for Reed Sheppard and the Kentucky Wildcats. Reed, the son of former UK guards Jeff Sheppard and Stacey Reed, grew up in eastern Kentucky as a diehard Wildcats fan. At the same time, he's the subject of massive NBA interest after a sterling freshman season. The topic on mind across Kentucky and the nation is Reed's next move.
Is Reed Sheppard staying at Kentucky?
Competing interests make it a difficult call, but an early prediction is that yes, Sheppard will return to Kentucky for another season.
Sheppard's Rise
With Hall of Fame coach John Calipari moving to Arkansas and former BYU coach Mark Pope replacing him, UK has had plenty of offseason turmoil. Many of Calipari's former Kentucky players have already entered the transfer portal, the NBA draft or both. Some of UK's recruits have also decommitted. But the most intriguing player situation is certainly that of Reed Sheppard.
As a high school player, Sheppard's excellence did not draw immediate interest from Kentucky. His stock did rise nationally, with 247Sports ranking him as the 79th-best player in the nation in the 2024 recruiting class. Kentucky did get involved, and Sheppard chose to be a Wildcat. He was the fifth highest-rated recruit in Kentucky's top-ranked recruiting class.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Sheppard being a bit-part player on a team of highly-regarded stars. While some of Calipari's big-time recruits floundered, Sheppard began to shine. No. 3 overall recruit Justin Edwards scored 8.8 points per game, and No. 5 ranked Aaron Bradshaw had just 4.9 ppg.
Meanwhile, Sheppard scored 12.5 ppg, led the Wildcats in assists and steals, and made 52% of his 3-point attempts. He was a sniper offensively, equally comfortable driving and dunking as bombing 3-point shots. Defensively, Sheppard's steals mark is the second-highest season total in Kentucky history, trailing only former NBA star Rajon Rondo.
As Reed Sheppard's star began to rise, so did his NBA stock. Entering the season, his NBA chances were a non-conversation. By February, he was often projected into the NBA draft lottery. Many mock drafts placed him as high as the top five.
Several recent Kentucky recruits, like Edwards and Bradshaw, have been stuck pondering whether to leverage underperforming results into an NBA opportunity. Sheppard, on the other hand, has the chance to go pro. But he has to decide whether he wants to take it now.
The Case for Staying
One immediate factor for staying is familiarity with new Wildcats coach Mark Pope. Pope's roommate at Kentucky when he was UK captain on the 1996 national title team was Jeff Sheppard. While no public promises have been made about Reed's future, his father is publicly excited to have Pope back in Lexington.
"We're open for everything," Jeff Sheppard told The Athletic. "Mark and I have had some conversations already, and Reed is still in the process of making that decision."
Admittedly, the NCAA's reformation of the name, image and likeness process adds some intrigue to the mix. A homegrown player facing a potential All-American season might earn more money at Kentucky than he would next year in the NBA. Indeed, it's hard to imagine a Kentucky business that would not stand in line to add a Reed Sheppard endorsement to its roster.
Speaking of standing in line, Sheppard can certainly pick up a pretty penny touring the state, taking pictures and signing autographs. That used to be a rite of graduation at Kentucky, then of NBA draft entrance. In 2012, Anthony Davis sold signatures for $50 at Kroger stores across the state. Sheppard could print money for meet-and-greets.
On the court, new coach Mark Pope's system seems like a good fit. Take the most accurate 3-point shooter in UK history and plug him into an offense that dialed up 11.1 3-pointers per game last year. That total was the third highest in the NCAA, and with Sheppard shooting, the number could get even higher.
Of course, there's the massive issue of culture, too. Reed Sheppard grew up hearing about the heroes of Kentucky basketball. About the players who turned the program around through sheer strength of will. With a virtually entirely new team under a new coach, he could become one of those legends.
The Case for Going Pro
And the NBA? There's an argument to say, "Go now." The 2024 draft class seems singularly weak, with international prospects likely commanding the top spots. On the other hand, pundits are hyping the 2025 draft class as much stronger, led by Duke star Cooper Flagg.
Meanwhile, Reed Sheppard's NBA stock is already about as high as possible for a 6-foot-3 guard. CBS Sports called him "a surefire top-10 pick this summer," but the publication was also unwilling to extend such a guarantee to future seasons.
Additionally, the NBA's rookie pay situation will lock Sheppard into a three-year deal upfront before the massive second contract, which is the true NBA payday. A year to wait is a year until that starts.
Will Reed Sheppard go to the NBA or return? Coach Mark Pope, millions of members of the Big Blue Nation, and college basketball await the decision with bated breath.
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