North Laurel junior Reed Sheppard, a top 25 player in his recruiting class, talked about how "cool" it would be to play at UK two years ago. Saturday he will make his college choice and Kentucky is the favorite. (Les Dixon Photo)
The Reed Sheppard sweepstake is going to end a lot sooner than I think most ever imagined. The North Laurel junior will make his college announcement Saturday at 9 a.m. at the high school. He’s the son of former University of Kentucky basketball standouts Jeff Sheppard, the 1998 Final Four MVP, and Stacey Reed.
The 6-3 junior guard averaged 30.1 points per game last season and shot 41 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent at the foul line.
Sheppard got a Kentucky scholarship offer in July and has visited Kentucky Sept. 24 and Oct. 15. He’s also visited Louisville, Indiana, Virginia, and Ohio State. He had an impressive summer against top competition and is ranked as a top 25 player in his recruiting class.
Sheppard’s parents have tried not to influence his recruiting and the family has not shared a lot of insights about his college plans. Jeff Sheppard did try to downplay rumors that there were issues between him and coach John Calipari because of comments the former UK star made at the 2013 Ohio UK Convention about valuing championships over draft picks and feeling more comfortable about seeing former UK coach Rick Pitino than Calipari at the time.
“There’s nothing there,” Jeff Sheppard told me a few months ago about perceived animosity between him and Calipari . “It will be his (Reed’s) decision. We are just trying to enjoy every step of the way right now.”
Now the journey is about to end and one has to think it will be Kentucky or Reed Sheppard would not be announcing his choice before his high school junior season even starts.
North Laurel coach Nate Valentine said he was “excited” for his star player and his family to reach this point.
“He has worked hard to earn this opportunity and I am happy for him. He has been very diligent in his decision-making. He met with a lot of coaches, took a lot of visits,” Valentine said. “The process takes care of itself and he has put himself in position to play high major college basketball like he dreamed of.”
As a high school freshman, he shared those dreams with WYMT-TV reporter Camille Gear.
“It is every high school basketball player in Kentucky’s dream to go to Kentucky. It will be just whatever happens, happens. But it would be cool to go to Kentucky,” he told Gear.
He said almost the same thing even earlier to Corbin times sports editor Les Dixon.
“It’s every kid’s dream that lives in Kentucky to play at the University of Kentucky but it will all play itself out at the end and the Lord will put me where I need to go,” Sheppard told Dixon.
4 Responses
Another Tyler Herro type? But possibly a four year one.
Lottery is the “ siren song “ !
Reed will be driving a Ferrari when he sign’s with Ky, can’t wait to watch him as a Wildcat. Hope he grow’s another 3”, to go along with all of his basketball savy.
Calipari was late to show genuine interest in Reed for whatever his reasons.
Will Reed be one of Calipari’s favored players or will Reed be treated as Calipari has treated previous Kentucky boys Calipari has blessed with a spot on the UK bench?
These are the questions before Reed as he ponders his decision.