How Reed Sheppard has surprisingly emerged for Kentucky

When Reed Sheppard stepped onto the court for North Laurel High School, he was clearly the best player on the floor. Other players were taller, faster, stronger — but his skill stood out above the rest on a nightly basis.

Despite his scoring prowess, his passing abilities and defense, Sheppard always had the ability to elevate the play of those around him. When he ate, so did his teammates. While his final recruiting ranking did not suggest so, that success has been no different at Kentucky. As a true freshman — he might just become one of the best freshman, if not players, in the SEC in 2024.

On3’s Joe Tipton joined Andy Staples to peel back the curtain on how Sheppard stacked up on paper against the rest of his recruiting class, and why he’s the one that has captured the hearts of Big Blue Nation in such a short amount of time.

“No one saw this coming,” Tipton told Staples. “Coach Cal, in interviews, was not even mentioning Reed among his stud freshmen. I mean, if Coach Cal doesn’t see it coming then none of us see it coming. His overall feel for the game — I mean, you could tell that guy was you know, made to play basketball. He really understands his defense and shotmaking.

“I even interviewed him at an event last year I kind of said, you know, what can you expect your role to be as a freshman? And he said, kind of whatever Coach Cal wants me to do. If he wants me to get them water, I’ll give them water. You want to come in and make a shot — I’ll come in and make a shot. Tt’s been incredible to see kind of his rise and of course, his parents going there and having so much success as well.”

His father, Jeff Sheppard, was unforgettable during his time in Lexington, while his mother Stacey is one of the most prolific Kentucky WBB players of all time. If he continues on this trend — he’ll make a big enough name for himself that he won’t be known as Jeff and Stacey’s son. Instead, Jeff and Stacey will soon be known as Reed Sheppard’s parents. That’s the goal, at least.

For now, Sheppard is averaging 13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists as one of Kentucky’s most productive players. He’s expected to play a large role in the Wildcats’ efforts against rival North Carolina this weekend — and rivalry of he’s watched up close for his entire life.

Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET live on CBS as a part of the annual CBS Sports Classic.