Ben Sheppard learning quickly and impressing in preseason for Indiana Pacers
Before every game, Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard gets a text from his dad. It's usually a lengthy one — the NBA rookie equated it to a "super long paragraph" — but it's the encouragement he needs to get going before an outing.
Those messages were important earlier this week as Sheppard made his preseason debut for the Pacers. They played in Memphis on Sunday and Houston on Tuesday, so the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft got his first taste of life on the road in the pros.
He also hit the court for playing time, and he was impressive. Less than two minutes into his debut against the Grizzlies, Sheppard drilled a three. Less than 60 seconds later, he canned another. Right away, his ability to wiggle free on the perimeter and be a shooter stood out.
"Sheppard is a quick study," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Thursday. He praised Sheppard's shooting just after the team drafted him. "He learns things quickly, he's doing a good job of defining who he is on this team. He plays to his strengths. That's something that doesn't always come super quickly to rookie players."
A tip-in layup and a few rebounds later, and Sheppard's first quarter of NBA life was over. It was preseason action, but in just over eight minutes of play, he had 11 points and a rebound. He added two more rebounds and three assists as the night progressed.
His activity on offense stood out. He moved around often, and some inexperienced players can get in the way with their cutting. Not Sheppard. He moved into open space and made the Pacers offense better. On defense, his motion and hustle were impactful. His work on the less glamorous end of the court isn't as advanced as his offensive game, but he held his own.
"I just tried to gain the trust of my teammates and coaches," Sheppard said of his debut. He wanted to dive on the floor and work hard to leave a good impression on his teammates. That style popped during Summer League action as well.
His solid debut left that impression. "He's been playing really, really well," rookie forward Jarace Walker said. Walker assisted Sheppard's first three, an encouraging sign for Indiana. Their 2023 draft class is already developing chemistry. "Just finding the ball, finding his shot, and just bringing the energy on offense and defense." They're clicking.
Two nights later, Sheppard had the task of following up his impressive start. His responsibilities were more significant. He was a part of the blue and gold's second unit, meaning it was more important that he slid into this role. He also had more challenging competition.
He didn't miss a beat. 26 seconds after checking in for the first time, he blocked a layup attempt by former All-Star guard Fred VanVleet, grabbed the miss, and then pushed in transition. 88 seconds later, he hit a three. Sheppard makes his presence known early, and his impact jumped off the screen earlier this week.
By halftime, he had nine points and three assists. Despite playing with a drastically different lineup, the rookie guard fit in well. That's an important skill, especially on an Indiana team that is still building a core.
"It's definitely easy," Sheppard said of fitting in with his new team. "These guys are easy to play with. All [have] high basketball IQs and make it easy for everyone."
In both games, the 22-year old saw his first shot drop. That gave him confidence, and he took it and ran. The smiley guard didn't look much like the rookie who was anxious ahead of his first practice.
Instead, he looked like a contributor, and one that can help the team in many ways. He finished his second preseason outing with 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists. His first two exhibitions were pretty much exactly what the Pacers could have hoped for.
The youngster will have a chance to follow up his performances as preseason progresses. Indiana has two more outings — one against Atlanta and the other against Cleveland. The blue and gold may tighten up their rotation, but Sheppard could see the floor in both games and continue to show the blueprint for why the Pacers drafted him.
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