Reed Sheppard and Antonio Reeves (UK Athletics Photo)
I’m not sure any national TV announcer has ever understood University of Kentucky sports better than Tom Hart, a basketball/football play-by-play announcer for ESPN and the SEC Network.
So when he said during Monday night’s Kentucky-New Mexico State basketball game in Rupp Arena that freshman guard Reed Sheppard was “born to be a Wildcat” he knew the significance of what that meant.
Sheppard’s parents are 1998 Final Four MVP Jeff Sheppard and Stacey Reed Sheppard. Both were amazing players at Kentucky and now their son is adding to the legacy.
All Reed Sheppard did in UK’s 86-46 victory over New Mexico State was score 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting, including 1-for-2 from 3 and 3-for-3 at the foul line. He also had five rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block in only 21 minutes of play.
“It must be exhausting to have Reed Sheppard guarding you,” Hart said.
Sheppard got his first UK basket after he knocked a ball loose that D.J. Wagner retrieved and passed to Sheppard for a dunk.
“I had to get that one to go in,” Sheppard joked with Hart and analyst Dane Bradshaw on the SEC Network after the game.
He said it was “crazy” to be living his dream.
“First off just putting on the jersey and then running out with the team and competing in front of the best fans in the nation was great,” he said.
He confirmed that going against teammates Wager and Rob Dillingham in practice daily forced him to improve.
“That is the thing about Kentucky. You go against the best players in the nation every day,” Sheppard said. “Picking up D.J. and Rob full court is no fun. Thanks to them for all that.”
He also explained to the national TV audience that his father had preached about being an all-around player since he was young.
“My dad was my coach and his big thing was not being good at something but good at everything,” Sheppard said. “Get my hands active, keep my man in front of me and do anything I can to win.”
Bradshaw praised Sheppard’s instincts —which anyone who saw him play the last four years at North Laurel High School knew how good they were.
“He is a hard worker but it looks like the game just comes easy to him,” Hart said.
It does and because it does he will help a lot of things come easier for Calipari this year.
3 Responses
Very enjoyable team and game to watch. Reed played as expected as did most of the team. Looked like we had a bunch of assists as a team! ! Can’t wait for the next game!
GO CATS! ! !
They Run, they pass, they shoot.. they assist. they defend. think how good they will be with the biiggies defend the rim and rebound
It’s called a TEAM
I sure hope so Gerald
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