How Ben Sheppard can help the Indiana Pacers
Ben Sheppard was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and while he might not play a ton as a rookie, the blueprint for how he can help the Pacers long-term came into focus at Summer League.
In the Las Vegas-based exhibitions, Sheppard attempted 48 total shots. 31 of them were from beyond the three-point line. The 22-year old can do more than just shoot the ball from deep, but his game is built out from the abilities he has from long range.
"He can shoot," Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle said of Sheppard right after the NBA Draft.
During Summer League, Sheppard's first time donning a Pacers uniform, the young guard went 12/31 (38.7%) from deep. He mixed them up, knocking down a few from the corners and others from above the break. Many, but not all of them, were of the catch-and-shoot variety. Sheppard showed, albeit on a very small sample, that his outside shot could be a weapon going forward.
In his final collegiate season, where he played for the Belmont Bruins in the Missouri Valley Conference, Sheppard shot 41.5% from beyond the arc. It was his best shooting season in the NCAA, and he did it on nearly 200 attempts from long-range. He clearly worked to develop his outside shot in the collegiate ranks, and it showed as he ascended.
"Shooting is a huge part of basketball, and confidence also plays a big role in that," Sheppard told AllPacers last month. "I took major steps throughout my college career confidence-wise. Just staying in the gym, always perfecting my shot. Staying to it."
The variety of his looks from deep with the Bruins was impressive. He knocked down 48.7% of his threes off of screens, for example, and 37.3% of his spot-up attempts, according to Synergy Sports Technology. He averaged over one point per possession on both play types in total.
His off-screen numbers are similarly reflected in his handoff play data. When Sheppard could use a teammate as a fulcrum to create space, he was effective.
That is also how his shot influences his offensive game. Sheppard was a weapon from deep at Belmont, and he took threes from NBA range. He was defended like someone who could pull-up from anywhere, even when he was flying around off the ball. As a result, once his handle improved, he could get by overly-aggressive defenders with a nice move or cut to the basket.
As a senior, Synergy logged 131 possessions where Sheppard acted as a ball handler in a pick-and-roll. He ranked in the 84th percentile nationally for his play in those moments, and Belmont averaged .931 points per possession. For a player who is mostly expected to be a shooter, Sheppard can leverage his skills into more success inside the arc.
That's why his assist numbers skyrocketed in his final collegiate season. He figured out how to create space running pick-and-rolls, and that forced defenses to help and rotate. Sheppard punished them for doing so.
With the Pacers, he won't have those sorts of responsibilities right away. He will likely be outside of the rotation, so when Sheppard does hit the floor, his outside shot will be important. But one day, he could grow into more, just like he did in the NCAA ranks.
General manager Chad Buchanan noted on the Setting The Pace podcast that he likes Sheppard's off-ball movement, and the Pacers in general like his fit with head coach Rick Carlisle's ideas and system. Being a weapon from deep that can do a little more makes him a good offensive fit with the blue and gold.
Sheppard's defense is a mixed bag. Defensive impact numbers painted him as an average level defensive player in his final two seasons at Belmont, and he had moments succeeding and struggling during Summer League play.
His steal rate is solid, and he can read the game well off the ball. When engaged, he will be in the right spots for the blue and gold. But his attention isn't always there, and his on-ball defense needs work. Carlisle praised Sheppard's feel after the draft, and it's evident on defense at times, but not always.
"If I play on the defensive side, it'll all work out," the guard said at Summer League.
He will need to grow as a defender, though, just like he will have to develop his non-shooting offensive skills. For example, according to CBBAnalytics, Sheppard shot 62.1% from inside four feet this past season and 41.8% on all other attempts in the paint. Those numbers will have to be better if Sheppard wants to avoid being just a shooter in the pros.
Defensively, every young player needs to grow, and Sheppard is no exception. He will need to bulk up a bit and battle on the wing, though being six-foot-six-inches tall helps. Strength will increase the number of players he can handle guarding as he gets older.
In general, Sheppard's pattern recognition and shooting make him a player worth taking on a gamble on in the first round. If he remains a good-to-great shooter, there will be a place for him on the Pacers and in the NBA. He has more skills than that, but given how the league has evolved, that will keep him on the floor.
How much he will help Indiana will depend on the growth of his other abilities. But as it stands, Ben Sheppard will enhance the blue and gold with his outside shooting and activity, and given the way the team plays, that's a great starting point.
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