Scouting Journals for Reed Sheppard

There is no denying two things that Reed Sheppard does as well as anyone in this draft class. At 6-foot-2 he has incredible basketball instincts, and he can shoot the lights out of the basketball. Past that there are some questions. He does not put much pressure on the rim in the half-court and had a lot of turnovers when asked to be a primary ball handler or make a play for others going north/south. His defensive instincts as a ball-hawk in space created a lot of wow plays, but he struggled at times to guard the ball against the more athletic guards in the SEC, and his off-ball defense and positioning, in the half-court, led to some easy looks for the opposing team. Sheppard is a high-level connector, taking what he is given and not forcing plays. The shooting pulls gravity from day one, and NBA spacing could help as he tightens his game. Will he be able to get to carve out his spots and develop the handle to get to them? His height, weight, and length measurements will be interesting as well. Sheppard was one of the very best shooters in college basketball this season. By all accounts, he is also a competitor.

Reed Sheppard is a confident player who can shoot and pass. He has good court vision and can make things happen for others in transition. Sheppard is an average lateral athlete and he needs to add strength to his frame, but he gives good effort on the defense end. Sheppard has good straight line, vertical athleticism: He needs to tighten his dribble in the half court to become more of a true/full time PG. Sheppard has a smooth jump shot, with deep range and a consistent and repeatable release. His mom and dad both played at Kentucky.