Reed Sheppard shows off 'simple' green suit at 2024 NBA Draft

While others want to make a statement with their fashion ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, former Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard isn’t complicating things.

Instead, he showed up at the 2024 NBA Draft’s red carpet in a faded green suit, likely ready to hear his name called ahead of the flashier outfits in the same green room. It appears that Sheppard is on a business trip on Wednesday night.

“I’m a simple guy,” Sheppard told Kendrick Perkins and the rest of the NBA Today crew ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Reed Sheppard looks like a dude going to prom in 2013 with Drake lyrics as an IG caption pic.twitter.com/WUyTlwf3ln

— Dylan Hornik (@_Hornik_) June 26, 2024

Fashion is a major aspect of NBA culture, but Sheppard has the rest of his career to worry about looking flashy in front of the cameras. Instead, he’s been one to stick to entertaining fans with his play on the court. After all, he’s one of the top prospects available in this year’s draft cycle for a reason.

Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 guard, is currently ranked as ESPN’s No. 4 overall prospect and is likely to be taken in the Top 10. On3’s James Fletcher projects him as the No. 3 overall pick to the Houston Rockets and is expected to be the first traditional college player to be drafted on Wednesday night.

During the 2023-24 season, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals and a team-high 4.5 assists per game. Further, the Bluegrass native shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 51.1 percent from the 3-point line, the most accurate single-season 3-point percentage in program history.

The 2024 NBA Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN and ABC. Wednesday will feature the first round of the event, while the second round will be held on Thursday.

Reed Sheppard models his game after trio of NBA stars

“First there’s so many great players in the NBA,” Sheppard said on a pre-draft special on ESPN. “So for me it’s hard to look and pick one. So I try and take different parts of different players’ games.”

He provided a few examples, and most are the types you would probably readily guess. He’s going for guys that have done it at a high level for a really long time, but who also have unique elements to their game.

“Like Chris Paul, I love how he can control the game and how he’s just a teammate and he just is so smart,” Reed Sheppard said. “I was able to work out with him a few weeks ago and you can just tell how smart he was.”

Sheppard averaged 4.5 assists per game during his time at Kentucky. And while that’s hardly comparable to Paul at the NBA level, Sheppard often wasn’t tasked with being the primary ball-handler. He might have to be in the NBA.

So developing that skill set will be important. Then there’s the ability to create a shot.

“Devin Booker, how he can get to his mid-range spot whenever he wants,” Reed Sheppard said of his model there.

On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.