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Jeff, Stacey Sheppard looking forward to watching son’s first game in Rupp Arena

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs07/24/23

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John E. Sokolowski | USA TODAY Sports

The Sheppards are synonymous with Kentucky basketball. Kentucky freshman Reed Sheppard is the latest family member to don the blue and white, and his parents, Jeff and Stacey Sheppard, couldn’t be happier.

“We were talking about how crazy the first game at Rupp was going to be,” Stacey Sheppard told “BBN Tonight.” “It’s a different kind of energy.”

Both of Reed’s parents understand Big Blue Nation’s energy on a personal level. Jeff won two national championships and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. Not to be outdone, Stacey ranks in the top 10 in 3-pointers made, assists, and is 14th in total points for Kentucky women’s basketball.

Reed’s blood runs blue. The 6-foot-3 freshman showed off his Kentucky birthright earlier in July when the Cats went 4-0 at GLOBL JAM, a worldwide round-robin tournament based in Toronto. Reed averaged 8.0 points per game and 5.7 assists per game.

While those numbers are respectable, they don’t tell the whole story. Reed scored zero points in the first game. After shaking off any jitters, the Kentucky native scored double digits in all three remaining contests. Moreover, Reed had the second-most blocks on the team despite being an undersized wing.

The Sheppards loved what they saw from not only their son but the team as a whole.

“The boys have played so well here that it’s just going to intensify the anticipation of that first game of rope. So I think it’s gonna be crazy. But on the flip side of that thing, it’s important that these guys have played together. So they’re not going to be in complete shock when they get to their first game,” Stacey said.

“It’s a great starting point. I think it’s even better than what a lot of people anticipated. When we were coming up here, I was saying to Stacy, ‘I have no idea what to expect. I don’t know if we’re gonna get crushed if we’re going to compete. I have no idea.’ I’m pleasantly surprised at how well they’ve done. The first game at Rupp Arena is going to be fun for all of the guys,” Jeff added.

Reed’s parents weren’t the only ones who were surprised by Kentucky’s stellar showing. Baylor represented the United States in 2022 at GLOBL JAM and went 1-4. Conversely, Kentucky comfortably swept the event, defeating teams representing Germany, Africa and Canada.

Jeff believes if the Cats can capitalize on the building experience, they could be special this season.

“If they just continue to stay together, have fun, stay hungry, work hard against each other, challenge each other, but really come together as a unit, then they can do something special.”