LEXINGTON, Ky. — Some days, he pretended to be Rex Chapman within the 1990 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, recreating all these aerial assaults on an 8-foot purpose. However most days, if grade-school Reed Sheppard was capturing on his yard basketball hoop, he imagined that he was … himself in a Kentucky uniform. The seconds ticked down, the Wildcats wanted a bucket, and the child from London, Ky., was going to ship.
“I’ve at all times been just a little boy from Kentucky who needed to play at Kentucky,” Sheppard says. “It looks like that was me simply two days in the past, out within the yard with my pals and my cousins, taking that final shot for Kentucky.”
In the present day, there are kids throughout the state pretending to be Reed Sheppard. Extra particularly, Reed Sheppard on Tuesday evening at Mississippi State, the place the Wildcats trailed by 13 within the second half earlier than the boy marvel turned his lifelong imaginative and prescient into actuality. Sheppard scored 23 factors within the remaining 13 minutes — 11 of these within the final 93 seconds — and buried a game-winning floater with a half-tick to go in Starkville. His heroics stored alive Sixteenth-ranked Kentucky’s hopes of successful an SEC championship and stoked desires of a deep NCAA Match run. He’d already put collectively a terrific freshman season, however this was a celebrity efficiency: 32 factors, seven assists, 5 rebounds, two blocks, two steals. And that boy-in-the-backyard second.
“To hit a game-winning shot for Kentucky,” Sheppard says, “was actually particular for me.”
REED SHEPPARD WINS IT FOR KENTUCKY 🚨 @KentuckyMBB pic.twitter.com/1pevWzZwfu
— SEC Community (@SECNetwork) February 28, 2024
Throughout ESPN’s broadcast, Jimmy Dykes recited a biblical play on phrases that has been popping up on do-it-yourself indicators within the Kentucky crowd this season: A Sheppard boy shall lead them. The trustworthy perceive a easy reality, that every of this system’s eight nationwide championship groups had a local Kentuckian among the many prime six scorers. That makes Sheppard, in lots of eyes, not solely an important participant on this roster, however an important particular person within the state.
Chapman is aware of higher than anybody what that stage of in-state movie star is like. He was Sheppard virtually 40 years in the past: son of a well known basketball determine, homegrown hero, Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, McDonald’s All-American, after which an instantaneous sensation for the Wildcats. King Rex, as he got here to be identified throughout the Bluegrass State within the Eighties, understands all of the adulation, expectation and stress that comes with being basketball royalty round right here. It almost swallowed Chapman complete again then, and generally he can hardly consider how properly Sheppard is flourishing in that very same circus now.
“Once I ask his dad how Reed is doing, he is aware of I imply how is he dealing with all of the individuals, the crush of all this on his shoulders,” Chapman says. “The vital factor is he has an awesome assist system. I actually didn’t, and I used to be extra immature than him at this age.
“So that you do marvel how Reed does it, how he makes such an extremely exhausting factor look really easy, till you bear in mind who his mother and father are. Then you definately go, properly, that makes excellent sense. He was actually born to do that.”
Jeff Sheppard, Most Excellent Participant on the 1998 Closing 4, and Stacey Reed Sheppard, a two-time state champion at Laurel County Excessive and top-10 scorer in UK girls’s historical past, have made arguably the biggest alumni contribution within the historical past of the college. Their 19-year-old son is straight out of central casting for Cats followers’ wildest desires. He’s acquired Kentucky basketball in his precise DNA, and he performs the type of regular, selfless, all-around sport that makes John Pelphrey, a member of Rick Pitino’s “Unforgettables” in 1992, say the youthful Sheppard is “a throwback man who may’ve completely performed with our crew.”
It’s precisely that ethos — he’s certainly one of us — that made a complete state fall in love with the wunderkind even earlier than he proved the clutch gene is hereditary.
You see, Kentucky followers “consider wholeheartedly that when a Kentucky boy wears the Kentucky jersey, that boy performs more durable and it means extra to him,” Jeff Sheppard says. “Whether or not it’s true or not may be argued, however I feel the state is feeling that proper now. We’re successful, we’re scoring 90 factors a sport, taking part in a mode that’s interesting to the attention, and there’s a Kentucky boy on the market. The entire state is linked to him.”
Jimmy Mahan is a lifelong Kentucky fan and proprietor of Roadshow Playing cards, which has sports activities card outlets in California, New York, Texas and his house base of Lexington, Ky. He not too long ago paid $1,900 for a one-of-five autographed Reed Sheppard card, which he says he’ll by no means promote at any worth — though that worth can be absurd proper now. A 1-of-25 autographed Sheppard card was going for $5,000 on eBay on Wednesday night. Mahan says that amongst present faculty basketball gamers, solely Iowa star Caitlin Clark and LeBron James’ son, Bronny, are hotter on the card-collecting market.
That’s nationally. Domestically, his reputation is unmatched. Mahan thought he’d by no means seen a participant so beloved as 2022 nationwide participant of the yr Oscar Tshiebwe, “after which Reed got here alongside proper after and it’s only a complete different stage.”
“I’d say 90 minutes don’t move in my retailer that I don’t get requested if I’ve a Reed card or a Reed autograph,” Mahan says. “If we’re open, somebody is at all times strolling in or calling and going, ‘Obtained any Reed? Obtained any Reed? Obtained any Reed?’”
Mahan hosts a number of autograph-signing periods for Kentucky gamers previous and current — present Cats can lastly capitalize on their movie star, thanks to call, picture and likeness guidelines — however his eyes widen when he imagines what a Sheppard signing would seem like. He’s had preliminary conversations with Sheppard’s mother and father, who assist handle his huge NIL alternatives.
“When does a Reed signing finish? In this state? How lengthy would it not go?” says Mahan, who estimates he would pay Sheppard $3,000 an hour to signal for followers. “It could principally come right down to how a lot cash he needed to make, as a result of a vast signing may go all evening.”
That stage of consideration may very well be lots for anybody, not to mention somebody who was so painfully shy as just a little boy that his massive sister, Madison, did his speaking for him. However Sheppard needed to get comfy interacting with followers and being a public determine — as a result of he so vividly remembers what it was prefer to be the one begging Kentucky gamers for an image or signature. Again house, there’s a photograph of grade-school-aged Sheppard with then-UK-star Tyler Ulis, who’s now serving to coach him as a scholar assistant on John Calipari’s workers.
“I take pleasure in doing that for individuals,” Sheppard says, “as a result of I used to be that fan as a child.”
He additionally watched each his mother and father deal with their native movie star with grace and humility. He grew accustomed to complete strangers fast-walking within the household’s path at a restaurant or the grocery retailer and putting up a dialog like previous pals. Earlier than he knew higher, younger Reed would tug on Jeff’s arm and demand an introduction.
“Thoughts your manners!” Jeff remembers telling him. “As soon as they went away, I’d say, ‘Son, that’s a Kentucky fan.’ He’d say, ‘However do they know you?’ And I’d say, ‘Properly, they really feel like they do.’ ”
Stacey places it one other approach.
“They need to know you,” she says. “Something they’ll do or say to share a relatable second with you, that’s what they’re searching for, and you may see the pure pleasure whenever you’re in a position to give that to them. Reed being from right here, rising up with us, he understands what meaning to individuals right here, so it’s not an obligation or a trouble. It’s a approach of giving again to what he’s liked his complete life.”
When Jeff is out in public with Reed today, followers nonetheless rush towards them — however usually to speak to the youthful Sheppard.
“They’ll say, ‘Hey, Reed!’ and I’m going, ‘How are you aware them?’ and now he will get to say, ‘Dad, thoughts your manners. That’s a Kentucky fan.’” Jeff says. “Now I’m Reed’s dad. I’m not Jeff Sheppard, and that transition has been a blast.”
Reed Sheppard is a number one candidate for nationwide freshman of the yr. (Andy Lyons / Getty Pictures)
After house video games at Rupp Area, Reed lingers a very long time within the stands, posing for photos and signing posters or basketballs or jerseys with the No. 15 that he wears — and Jeff wore — at Kentucky. The teaching workers and faculty administration have each requested whether or not the household would love them to do some crowd management, shew away these lengthy traces.
“We’re like no, completely not,” Jeff says, “as a result of that is house, and that’s who we reside with. That man, that’s our neighbor. We go to church with these 10 individuals. These 20 are his household. These 17 are his highschool coaches and teammates. That’s the distinction. We reside right here, and when all that is carried out, we’ll nonetheless be right here. These are our individuals.”
That doesn’t imply everybody deserves your time and a focus. Whereas Jeff believes Kentucky followers aren’t any extra hysterical at present than when he performed, now there’s a complete different stage of entry to the gamers, through social media, that’s an pointless distraction at greatest.
“What we are attempting to assist Reed navigate by means of — and belief me, it’s vital for us as mother and father additionally — is that you must be very cautious what you hearken to,” Jeff says. “As a result of once I was at Kentucky and I completed a sport, I didn’t drive from home to deal with to get everyone’s opinion on how they thought I performed. So for him, and for us, easy is the phrase. Easy is the important thing to his success proper now. He performs a easy sport, as a result of we’ve taught him that the constant execution of the essential fundamentals is what at all times wins, in basketball, in life, in household. So hold it easy.”
For Reed, that’s getting more durable day-after-day.
Sheppard is placing collectively a historic freshman season. He’s simply the third high-major participant within the final 30 years to document a minimum of 100 assists, 75 steals, 60 made 3-pointers and 20 blocks in a season — and he’s solely performed 28 video games. A lot of individuals thought, or a minimum of hoped, he can be a very nice multi-year participant for the Wildcats, however none dreamed that he could be so good, so quick as to develop into a one-and-done draft choose. Definitely not when he arrived with a loaded recruiting class that included Justin Edwards, Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner and Rob Dillingham, who have been ranked the No. 3, 4, 6 and 16 prospects within the Class of 2023. Sheppard was ranked forty third.
“I assumed it was truly going to be powerful for him to get minutes,” says Scott Padgett, an All-SEC teammate of Jeff’s on the 1998 nationwide championship crew — and now a Mississippi State assistant. “I assumed he would have profession, however I’m not going to sit down right here and act like I knew he would do this proper out of the gate. I did consider he can be superb at dealing with it, although, due to his mother and father.
“Put it this fashion: Once I performed, Jeff Sheppard was Reed Sheppard. All people liked Shep, and he may’ve been pulled each which approach, however he was so level-headed and calm and targeted that it by no means acquired to him. Stacey was the identical. So if anyone may assist Reed cope with every thing that comes with this, it’s them.”
Sheppard helps his teammates deal with probably the most overwhelming components of Kentucky basketball. When Edwards, who was hyped as a possible No. 1 general choose, struggled sufficient early this season that some rapidly labeled him a bust, Sheppard steered he meet with a psychological well being coach. He and Edwards additionally devised a easy plan for choosing one another up instantly: If certainly one of them was down, the opposite want solely flash an enormous, goofy grin to remind them it’s not that critical. Simply smile.
After Edwards delivered the sport of his profession, a 28-point outburst on 10-of-10 capturing in a win over Alabama, he mentioned Sheppard helped information him out of the darkish days that preceded it. When Sheppard stepped to the road for 2 tying free throws on the finish of regulation at Texas A&M in January, only a week after he sank six straight within the remaining 19 seconds of a win at Florida, Edwards gave him that goofy grin from the bench. Sheppard smiled, then buried them each.
“All the things in my thoughts sort of simply cleared out,” he says. “These are the moments you need.”
Therein lies the reply to a wild query: How does a man who doesn’t even begin for his crew run away with nationwide freshman of the yr — and vault into the NBA Draft lottery — as Sheppard positive appears to be doing? By not caring in any respect about any of these peripheral considerations. No matter anybody says he needs to be, there’s just one factor he needs to be: a winner. And no person impacts successful for the Wildcats like Sheppard, who has an opportunity to interrupt Kentucky’s single-season data for each 3-point share and steals. Solely eight freshmen within the final 15 years have posted a greater season-long plus/minus than Sheppard’s, and the entire others grew to become top-five picks.
“I don’t know that my ego may’ve taken being the very best participant on the crew and never beginning,” Chapman says. “However once more, why are we shocked? Jeff is likely one of the nice teammates of all time.” The truth is, at Pitino’s request, Jeff redshirted the yr after Kentucky’s 1996 nationwide title, in what would have been his senior yr, to clear time for future lottery picks Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson, earlier than coming again as a frontrunner on the 1997-98 squad below Tubby Smith.
“The truth that Jeff didn’t go away tells you that Jeff is powerful, powerful,” Chapman says. “And once I have a look at Reed, he’s lots like him in the best way teammates love and respect him for the best way he goes about his enterprise.”
Ah, sure, his enterprise. It’s booming. Sheppard has NIL offers with Donato’s Pizza, Planet Health, WinStar Farm, The Dairy Alliance, Forcht Financial institution and White, Greer & Maggard Orthodontics, plus team-wide agreements, all of which add as much as a payday that conservative estimates have put within the mid-to-high six figures. There’s definitely seven-figure potential as his star continues to rise, although Jeff says the household has turned down a number of extra provides to maintain the main target the place it must be.
“I didn’t come to Kentucky to do NIL,” Reed says. “The entire purpose was to come back play basketball, get higher, win a nationwide championship.”
However what if the Wildcats don’t this season? How lengthy will he chase that dream in Lexington? Does legacy matter to the child who grew up with Kentucky posters throughout his partitions and whose father helped elevate two banners to the Rupp Area rafters?
Reed Sheppard and his sister, Madison, attend a Kentucky sport with dad Jeff Sheppard as children. (Courtesy of the Sheppard household)
One large pile of cash or one other shall be there ready for him when the season ends, both approach. And Sheppard’s could be the uncommon case by which there’s sufficient NIL incomes potential to offset the monetary threat of passing up a lofty spot within the draft.
“It’s query,” Jeff says. “I don’t suppose he’ll keep or go based mostly on NIL, however to say it’s a non-factor is just not correct. It’s not like we sit down on the dinner desk each evening breaking down draft lessons over the subsequent 4 years attempting to determine when to go — we don’t discuss like that — however we’ll make a considerate choice when it’s time.”
If Sheppard retains climbing draft boards, typical knowledge suggests the choice shall be made for him. However Padgett doesn’t suppose so.
“I’m not saying he’ll keep 4 years, however I’d nonetheless be shocked if his profession lasted one,” he says. “If there are weaknesses they suppose he can work on and enhance in a yr, I may see him staying one other yr. They’re going to have a look at this in a different way than most, for one as a result of the NIL might be loopy, but additionally as a result of schooling is big to them and he’d be one other yr nearer to a level, the place he may then come again and end it within the summers. And, to be sincere with you, there’s an unknown issue.
“They’re such a detailed, shut, shut household, and Reed has lived his complete life in London and Lexington, so I don’t know that there’s an actual rush to get out of there until you’re one hundred pc prepared. Plus, if he comes again, he’s a rock star. He’s Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. In that state, he can be that.”
At the least for just a few extra weeks, Reed Sheppard is true the place he at all times needed to be. So whereas his mom way back gave up asking how actuality compares to the dream, as a result of he’s by no means been an enormous talker and “you may’t hardly get his emotions out of him,” the reality is obvious to see.
“Watching him play with that massive smile on his face, there’s actually nothing he must say to me,” Stacey says. ”As his mother, that tells me he’s loving each minute of this and he’s having the time of his life.”
(High photograph: Courtesy of Chet White / UK Athletics)