Kentucky Wildcats: Reed Sheppard Remains Poised, Drops Near Career-High on Wednesday
Typically, you don't see a 6-foot-3, 187-pound, below-the-rim guard swivel their way into lottery conversations. Without any explosive athleticism and a lack of a current skill set to be a lead guard in the NBA, Reed Sheppard's archetype would more than likely tell you he's not a lottery pick.
And with the modern NBA wing continuing to evolve into increasingly more lengthy and athletic frames, the Kentucky freshman's size should come into even more concern, right?
Well, the solution is similar to a philosophy of what many players are told when they're young.
If you can defend well and tenaciously, or sink the outside shot at a high, consistent clip, you could more than likely play at any school of your choosing.
Sheppard excels in both of these aspects for the Wildcats, and understands when not to force the issue offensively, while remaining grounded defensively and flustering ball handlers night in and night out.
As a 54.2% 3-point shooter on 4.2 attempts, combined with 2.4 steals in 20 games, the London, Kentucky native is a direct reflection of that very axiom.
He's relatively short, but he's gritty. He's relatively slight, but he's instinctual.
Alongside his three-and-D potential in the league – which he's currently placed well inside the lottery in a plethora of mock drafts – Sheppard's ability as a connective playmaker to complement the likes of Kentucky's multitude of draft prospects gives him another promising avenue to explore into his professional endeavors.
And while he may not be the prospect to develop into a true point guard into the NBA, he could certainly still be one who might initiate a number of offensive sets, as he's still reliable as a ball handler and comprehends how to efficiently playmake – depending on which team he may land with.
Just this Wednesday, Sheppard dropped a near career-high of 24 – he's generated 25 points two times this season – shooting 55.6% from the field with three 3-pointers while filling up the rest of the stat sheet in a loss to Florida.
On the season, he's putting up 12.1 points per night on 54.4% shooting, while his 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists round out his game.
Sheppard's early mock placement is viable considering both his skillset and mindset, and he could possibly continue to rise even higher in a draft class without many lottery spots truly established just yet.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.