The elite quality that makes Reed Sheppard an enticing Hornets draft option
By Evan Sidery
Among the prospects in range for the Charlotte Hornets at No. 6 overall, who makes the sense to add to their exciting young core? In our second installment previewing potential Hornets draft picks, it’s time to further analyze the strengths of weaknesses of Kentucky Wildcats guard Reed Sheppard.
Following an impressive freshman campaign, Sheppard declared and is now viewed across the board as a guaranteed top-10 selection. However, with all the variance among the 2024 NBA Draft class, Sheppard might even go as high as No. 3 overall to the Houston Rockets. Sheppard’s range appears to be anywhere from Nos. 3-10, right in striking distance for Charlotte.
Sheppard checks so many boxes the Hornets are looking for not only from an on-court level, but character traits as well. There are no red flags in Sheppard’s profile, only that his lack of size on the next level could be a concern at 6’1.75” without shoes and a 6’3.25” wingspan. With that physical profile, Sheppard will be boxed in to to being a point guard who can seamlessly play off-ball next to another primary playmaker.
Alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in the Hornets’ backcourt, it’s why I’m higher on Sheppard’s potential fit within Charlotte’s system under new head coach Charles Lee. Sheppard might be able to hide on the defensive end, if the Hornets continue to address their defensive concerns this offseason.
What makes Sheppard pop off the page is his analytically-driven success as a scorer. Carrying an elite 69.9 true shooting percentage, Sheppard showcased three-level scoring potential to go along with consistent effort as a defender. Even with his size, Sheppard’s 2.5 steals in only 28.9 minutes speaks volumes to his ability to be a plus team defender.
Last season at Kentucky, Sheppard showed NBA scouts an array of all-around potential as a combo guard averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting a blistering 52.1 percent on three-pointers.
There hasn’t been a player enter the Association with Sheppard’s shooting upside in years. Not only did Sheppard excel in catch-and-shoot but the pull-up three was also revealed at Kentucky. Add in Sheppard’s athleticism, an eye-popping 42-inch vertical jump recorded at the NBA Combine, and there’s a ceiling outcome where Sheppard mirrors a similar archetype as Devin Booker or a more efficient Tyler Herro with less size.
Diving deeper into Sheppard’s fit on the Hornets, he could immediately start at shooting guard flanked by Ball and Miller. If not, Sheppard could be the ideal sixth man or third guard within Charlotte’s rotation early on in his career. The floor on offense would allow for Charlotte to experiment with Sheppard’s fit alongside Ball, plus spelling him as their backup point guard. This type of role would allow Sheppard to reach around 30 minutes per game immediately as a rookie.
As you can tell, I’m firmly in the camp that Sheppard’s best fits in the draft are next to Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs or here with the Hornets. And once draft night rolls around on June 26, it wouldn’t be stunning at all to see Sheppard go No. 6 overall.
If the Hornets went in the direction of Sheppard, then re-signed Miles Bridges, here’s how their rotation would look entering the 2024-25 season:
Starters = LaMelo Ball, Reed Sheppard, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Mark Williams
Reserves = Vasilije Micic, Tre Mann, Grant Williams, Nick Richards
Add in the flexibility Charlotte possesses this offseason with cap space and additional draft assets from trading Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington, they are set up extremely well to build upon a solid foundation of talent.
For what the Hornets appear to need most — defense and added scoring punch — Sheppard checks all the premium boxes needed for a team to thrive in today’s NBA.
Stay tuned to Swarm & Sting for all the latest Hornets news leading up to the draft, a key moment that will shape the offseason ahead.