Mock Draft: Raptors Tabbed to Take Kentucky Star in 1st Round
The Toronto Raptors are mocked to draft Kentucky star Reed Sheppard with the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft
When in doubt, just draft a guard from Kentucky.
It has essentially been a fool-proof plan for teams with a first-round pick in the NBA Draft. Consider the list: Devin Booker in 2015, Jamal Murray in 2016, Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox in 2017, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2018, Tyler Herro in 2019, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley in 2020, Shaedon Sharpe and TyTy Washington in 2022, and Cason Wallace this past year.
Maybe it’s time the Toronto Raptors follow suit.
According to Bleacher Report, that’s exactly what they’ll do. Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock draft has Toronto taking Reed Sheppard with the No. 6 pick.
Sheppard had a stellar freshman campaign right up until March Madness tipped off. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game this season primarily as a backup guard for the Wildcats.
It’s hard not to get excited about Sheppard as a shooter. He nailed 52.1% of his 144 three-point attempts this past year and has a picture-perfect stroke that suggests he shouldn’t slow down much at the next level.
Defensively, Sheppard is relentless too. He averaged 2.5 steals per game thanks to his high basketball IQ and his ability to somehow be in the right spot at the right time.
The problem for Sheppard is just going to be his size. He’s not quite good enough as a ball handler to be a traditional point guard right now and he’s a little undersized to be a shooting guard. His defensive tenacity will make him serviceable defensively, but it’s hard for a player with Sheppard’s height to be a real impact defender.
Considering Toronto’s lack of size right now, it may be hard to add another undersized combo guard to the mix. That said, Kentucky’s track record is hard to ignore.
No. 17: Terrence Shannon Jr (Illinois)
If Toronto does want to add some wing depth, Terrence Shannon Jr. fits the bill in the middle of the first round or potentially early in the second.
The 6-foot-6 forward is a bit of an older prospect, having spent five seasons in college, but his stats speak for themselves. He averaged 23 points per game this season for the Illini while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 36.2% as a high-volume three-point shooter. Up until he ran into UConn in the Elite Eight, he had put together one of the most impressive six-game stretches in the country, averaging 31.2 points through the Big Ten tournament and the first three games of March Madness.
He's a versatile defender and impressive athlete who would give Toronto the kind of wing-stopper the organization hasn’t had since it lost OG Anunoby earlier this year.
Toronto will have to do due diligence on Shannon who was suspended by Illinois earlier this year after he was charged with rape. He will have a hearing on the case on May 10 which should shed more light on the situation before the draft.
No. 31: Jaylon Tyson (California)
California’s Jaylon Tyson is another one of the draft’s most intriguing wings. A 6-foot-7, 215-pound junior, Tyson led the Golden Bears in scoring this past season averaging 19.6 points per game while shooting 36% from three-point range.
Tyson is a versatile defender and impressive rebounder who was probably asked to do a little too much for a disappointing California team this past season. He dealt with turnover issues, averaging 3.1 per game, but a smaller role at the next level should make Tyson look more comfortable.
