LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky reserve guard Reed Sheppard, who was voted the Southeastern Conference’s top freshman by coaches after leading the league in steals, says he will enter the NBA draft.
The London, Kentucky, native was considered one of the conference’s best playmakers and perimeter shooters. He said in a social media post that it was time to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA and asked fans “to go with me” in a one-minute video.
Sheppard’s father, Jeff, was the 1998 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and helped the Wildcats win two national championships, while his mother, Stacey, was a 1,000-point scorer for Kentucky’s women’s team.
Sheppard started just five of 33 games, but was Kentucky’s No. 3 scorer at 12.5 points per contest and averaged an SEC-best 2.5 steals that ranked eighth nationally.
Sheppard also ranked fourth in the SEC with 4.5 assists per game, averaged 4.1 rebounds and made 52% of his 3-point attempts. He earned the Wayman Tisdale Award as the nation’s top freshman as selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Sheppard is the second Wildcat to enter the draft along with fellow freshman Rob Dillingham, the SEC’s top sixth man who declared last week.
Commanders are in line to take a quarterback with the NFL draft's 2nd pick
U.S. bears a lot of responsibility for deglobalization trend: former Secretary of Commerce
American democracy in terminal decline
U.S. Summit for Democracy fans flame of confrontation to tumultuate world
Workers at Mercedes factories near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to vote in May on United Auto Workers union
Japan hosts G7 foreign ministers' meeting amid protests
(W.E. Talk) Tamara Prosic: How China and the World Benefit from Collectivism
European stocks drop as ECB hikes rates
Caitlin Clark fans won't receive Indiana Fever jerseys until August due to Nike blunder
Arizona Republican drops reelection effort after accusation he forged signatures
Senior Chinese diplomat meets delegation of Brazilian Workers' Party