Former UK coach Tubby Smith thought Reed Sheppard was the best player in the NBA summer league. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Reed Sheppard had an amazing 2023-24 freshman season at Kentucky following his stellar career at North Laurel High School where he won Kentucky Mr. Basketball honors.
He became the third overall pick in the NBA Draft and started his rookie season in impressive fashion.
Former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith led UK to the 1998 national championship when Reed’s father, Jeff, was the Final Four MVP. Sheppard’s mother, Stacey, also played basketball at UK at the same time.
Smith admits he “never dreamed” that Reed Sheppard would be so good, so quick. He came into the NBA season as the second betting favorite to be named rookie of the year
“He was the best player in the NBA summer league and one of the best players in college basketball last season,” Smith said.
Reed Sheppard left his mark at Kentucky even though then coach John Calipari brought him off the bench rather than starting him, a move Smith knows not everyone liked.
“Reed always played under control. He just never got out of control,” Smith said. “Only Reed and the Sheppard family could have accepted him not starting and playing the way he did. Not any other kid would have handled it so well.
“Most players, and parents, would have raised hell that he was not starting like some Kentucky fans were. But the Sheppards are just a special family and it certainly has worked out just fine for Reed.”
One of Sheppard’s current Houston teammates certainly agrees.
“I think he’s one of our better decision makers, passers, readers in the pick-and-rolls, and in setting the table in the offense,” Houston veteran Fred VanVleet said. “Obviously, he can space the floor. And for a rookie, he’s pretty far advanced in terms of just knowing the game and having a feel for it.”
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We don’t know for sure that Jeff and Stacey were ok with Reed coming off the bench.
I saw a photo of Stacey talking to king CALcified during the season. She did NOT look happy.
I think they were fine. No. 3 overall draft pick
One of Cal’s downfalls was that he consistently played his Calboys over more productive bench players. Cost him a national championship (s) and ultimately his job.
The basketball world is getting away from very athletic to very skilled. Its actually made the NBA a little more entertaining. Over the last 5 years the NBA has transitioned from the True athletes to the true shooters. NBA teams are scoring more points. It makes the games more enjoyable to watch and the teams are searching for a Reed Sheppard type player. In the late 90s until now the game had shifted from shooters to athletes. Now its transitioning back to shooters. All the top players in the NBA can shoot the ball exceptionally well. If Carr has the season that I think he does he might go in the draft about we’re Kenect for Tennessee went this past year. Just 5 years ago he would have been a late second round pick. The NBA is changing the same time Kentucky made the Change from Coach Cal to Coach Pope. Popes system is exactly what the NBA is running right now. The dribble drive with athletes that can’t shoot the ball system is being eliminated. It already has been eliminated in college. Teams figured out if you pack it in a tight 2-3 zone the dribble drive is useless. That’s when guys start throwing up circus shots. We’ve watched it die out right in front of our eyes. If you go man to man against a cal team you are playing into there offense. If you go zone. Game Over. Ask all the good coaches that have played Kentucky recently. Ask Mark Few. Once Mark Few seen that we can’t score on a zone defense he hasn’t lost since. I think the Gonzaga game is going to be a huge indicator of where we stand as a team. I think we beat Duke. Cooper Flagg is a great ball player but he’s overrated. Gonzaga has just about there whole team back and they beat us last year. If we beat Gonzaga you know were foreal. Even if its a very close game is a good indicator.
Nice post terry
Well stated. The dribble drive can be stopped and it caters to drivers, not shooters. Shooters force you out of the "packing the paint", and allows freedom of movement. Having one, and not over two, shooters won’t work very well because the paint packing, driving is much harder. IMHO, Cal will have more shooters at Arkansas, especially since he wants to win.
Good luck to the Cats.
Question for Larry.. Larry you have covered Ky Basketball for a lot of years about as long as i have been a fan going on 50 years. What do you honestly think that happen to Coach Cal did he get to big for his britches I mean he honestly think that the fans would let all those first round losses just slide by.. I wanted to get your opinion since you have covered Ky for so long.. Thank you sir for your time.. Ray
I do not know Ray. I think he just changed after COVID and lost touch with the fan base