Reed Sheppard reacts to people comparing him to NBA players

Reed Sheppard has reeled in no shortage of NBA player comparisons, ranging from New York Knicks role player Donte Divincenzo to perennial superstar Stephen Curry. Sheppard’s most recent comparison was to Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.

The Kentucky standout does not object. During an interview with NBA insider Shams Charania, Sheppard weighed in on the lofty comparison.

“It’s really cool being compared to an NBA player, especially at the beginning of your college career, because that’s what you want to be eventually — an NBA player,” Sheppard said. “That’s funny they say Austin because Austin actually has reached out to me multiple times. He reached out to me during the season, and hollered at me.

“He’s a really good dude. I’ve got to know him a little bit. We text every now and then. So, hearing that is pretty cool for me just because I know how good of a player he is. Watching him play is really cool, knowing that people also compare me to him. He’s someone that I like to watch and I look up to.”

This past season, Reaves averaged 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. Reaves was pivotal in the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals in the 2022-23 season.

In comparison, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game during his lone season at UK. Further, the Bluegrass native shot 53.6% from the floor and 51.1% from downtown, the most accurate single-season 3-point percentage in program history.

Sheppard had numerous standout performances during the season. However, none topped his explosive showing in Kentucky’s 91-89 win over Mississippi State when he erupted for a career-high 32 points and drained a gutsy game-winning floater.

For his jaw-dropping campaign, Sheppard was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, an All-SEC Second Team member and the National Association of Basketball Coaches National Freshman of the Year.

Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see Reed Sheppard’s NBA comparisons hold weight. The 2024 NBA Draft will be held on June 26-27. For the first time this year, the draft will expand to a two-night format. The first round will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., while the second round will take place at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.