Kentucky Freshman Reed Sheppard has shot up in NBA mock drafts, since becoming one of the best college basketball players in recent weeks.
The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor has put Sheppard atop of his mock draft list “because of his shooting prowess, playmaking feel, and defensive intensity, which was put on display once again in Kentucky’s road win in Tennessee over the weekend”.
In the final game of Kentucky’s regular season, Sheppard totalled 27 points, five assists and six rebounds on shooting 9-of-14 from beyond the arc during No. 15 Kentucky’s 85-81 win over the Vols on Saturday.
The 19-year-old measures up at just 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds, so if he did go number one he would become the shortest pick since Kyrie Irving in 2011.
O’Connor has the shortest pick teaming up with the tallest, since he gave San Antonio the number one pick in the mock list. He believes Victor Wembanyama and Sheppard could fast become of the NBA’s best duos.
Meanwhile, B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman has Sheppard listed at the sixth pick on his mock draft headed to Memphis.
His ball movement would allow him to be an easy fit in any team he was drafted to, but teaming up with freakish players like Ja Morant would only accelerate his skillset at the rate of knots.
Wasserman citied his ability to “surprise defenses with his burst to break them down and make plays off the dribble”, while comparing him to Donte DiVincenzo – who alongside Steph Curry and D’Angelo Russell are the only NBA players with 100+ 3PM since January 1st.
The guard’s production in his last few games for the Wildcats has been unmatched.
In his last four games, Sheppard is averaging 19.3 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal per game while shooting 63 percent overall, 58 percent from three.
Watch this space.