Reed Sheppard diced college defenses with a 52.1-percent mark from three-point range in college, then shined in NBA Summer League with a number of deep bombs beyond the arc. The NBA's regular season brought a tougher test for the 20-year-old rookie.
Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, sports the outline of a future impact guard. He pairs a calm and collected half-court game with a creative mind in transition, and his shooting stroke is pristine. Getting his shot off is a different story. Sheppard spent much of his first NBA month pump-faking and dribbling out of potential three-point attempts, seemingly not quite used to the speed and size of professional defenders.