Reed Sheppard recorded a 42-inch vertical on the NBA Draft Mix, topping the listing of current prospects. Nonetheless, like many who have been watching, the previous Kentucky Wildcat was stunned it turned out that approach.
In a section of Podcast P, Sheppard shared what went on in his head on the mix and the humorous memes created after.
“I do know I can bounce, however I didn’t know I used to be gonna have the best vertical on the NBA Draft. I gotta give lots of credit score to my man, Ryan, at Proactive. You understand, he kinda helped us out with somewhat arm trick. I used to be in a position to get a pair extra inches.
I regarded up and after I noticed 42, it kinda made me snort as a result of I wasn’t anticipating it and I do know nobody else is anticipating it.
…
The blokes that I grew up taking part in with and stuff who have been on the Mix as properly, all of them have been making jokes about it. However there was some fairly humorous stuff on Twitter. It was like edited and he was like eight toes within the air taking pictures a bounce shot and so they have been like, ‘Reed Sheppard subsequent yr within the NBA.‘
It was humorous seeing a number of the stuff that outdoors individuals have been saying about it.“
Reed Sheppard on recording the best vertical bounce on this yr’s Draft Mix
In a “weak” draft class with no clear No. 1 decide, Sheppard might shock many. Nonetheless, most mocks faucet Alexandre Sarr, Nikola Subject, or Zaccarie Risacher as potentials to go first total. However, Sheppard is firmly within the prime 10 on many draft boards.
In keeping with ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, the 19-year-old is primary in analytics-created draft fashions proper now.
“Sheppard measured somewhat greater than anticipated at 6’3″ in footwear whereas testing a 42-inch vertical leap in Chicago. He additionally regarded just like the clear-cut greatest shooter within the draft each time he had a ball in his fingers — each on the mix and his professional day in Los Angeles this week. A number of groups have mentioned that Sheppard’s statistical profile — together with his unimaginable scoring effectivity (56% FG%, 52% 3P%, 83% FT%) mixed together with his glorious steal, block and passing metrics — have him ranked because the No. 1 prospect of their draft fashions, one thing that certainly has caught the eye of analytically inclined entrance workplaces, such because the Houston Rockets.“
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo on Reed Sheppard
Givony and Woo added that it’s extremely doubtless that Sheppard received’t go previous No. 5 within the draft. The San Antonio Spurs personal the fourth decide within the draft and will swoop in Sheppard to pair with Victor Wembanyama.
