Ben Sheppard scores first NBA points in front of family in Boston, off to a solid start for Indiana Pacers
Ben Sheppard has been promising to start his career for the Indiana Pacers. The 26th overall pick in the most recent NBA Draft was a good three-point shooter during Summer League (38.7%) and preseason (34.6%) play, and that has carried over to the regular season.
The Belmont product has knocked down 37.5% of his long-range looks so far for the blue and gold. Granted, he's only attempted eight triples in his three appearances, but Sheppard's track record of being a shooter keeps getting longer.
So far, Sheppard has two appearances in Indiana's rotation. Getting in before garbage time is a testament to what he's able to do already. He doesn't make many mistakes (zero turnovers so far), moves around well, and hits his threes. Even as a development piece, Sheppard has shown flashes of what he can be on the offensive end.
"My mindset going into every game is just to stay ready," Sheppard told AllPacers over the weekend. "Just play my game and make the most of it. I have fun when I get out there."
Sheppard was a four-year college player, so he has more experience than most rookies. He played multiple positions at Belmont, and that made him more versatile. He was prepared for the NBA.
That made debuting in the pros, which Sheppard did in garbage time of the Pacers opening night win over the Wizards, easy. The 22-year old wasn't nervous at all as Indiana cruised to a win.
A week later, things sped up. With Tyrese Haliburton out and the Pacers struggling against the Boston Celtics, Sheppard came in for his first rotation minutes in the TD Garden. He was needed for nearly 15 minutes that night.
It was a special game for Sheppard. Beyond the added playing time, several members of his family were in attendance. He said it was nearly 50, and they were all in a suite together. Sheppard's family is a fan of some New England area sports teams, so it was significant for the rookie guard to be playing in Boston.
"Definitely. Especially with like my 50 family members in the crowd," Sheppard said when asked if it was more meaningful than a normal game. "It was definitely cool to see all those familiar faces. Especially to get my first bucket."
Sheppard hit his first shot as a pro in that game. With 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, he rose up from the left wing in transition and hit a three. It was a full-circle moment for the Georgia native, his first made three in the NCAA ranks took place in a game Belmont played on the road against Boston College.
Sheppard didn't know where his family was sitting, but he heard the cheers from their suite. He finished the game with six points, two rebounds, and two assists while shooting 50% from the field.
He met up with his family, who were all rocking Ben Sheppard jerseys, after the action to say hello. The Pacers had a quick trip back to Indianapolis, but it was a joyous first night in an NBA rotation for the Pacers wing.
Sheppard is detail oriented, which is something head coach Rick Carlisle likes. When he's in the game, he is thinking about all the things that he's been taught. Sometimes, that's hard for the Belmont product — thinking and playing naturally are tough to mix. But he's figuring it out while learning about the NBA.
"Just how fast you can lose a lead," Sheppard said about what has surprised him in the league. "The runs that NBA teams are able to go on, it's crazy."
As Sheppard has navigated all of that, he has received meaningful advice from Indiana's veteran players. The rookie wing named T.J. McConnell, Daniel Theis, Buddy Hield, and Tyrese Haliburton as players that have been helpful to him so far.
They've helped him stay comfortable. Five days after his appearance in Boston, Sheppard was in the Pacers rotation again — this time at home against the San Antonio Spurs. He opened the fourth quarter alongside Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith, Buddy Hield, and Andrew Nembhard.
He fit in well, finishing with a career-high seven points and grabbing two rebounds. He made another three and shot 3/7 from the field.
On the season, Sheppard is now averaging 4.3 points per game. He has never looked out of place despite being a late riser in the draft process. For a rookie, his poise has been impressive.
"These guys have been terrific. They're attentive, they work hard, they love to play, they're great teammates," Carlisle said of Sheppard and fellow first-round pick Jarace Walker. "There's nothing not to love about them."
Sheppard may have some G League assignments in his future. The Pacers have a deep roster, and minutes are hard to come by in the NBA. But when the rookie guard has played, he has fit in well and showed promise for the blue and gold.
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