Reed Sheppard draws high praise from UK staff

This past offseason, John Calipari and Co were on a mission on the recruiting trail. In recent seasons they were still recruiting at a high level, but it was up to the standard that had been set by the classes before.

On paper, the 2023 class has changed that. With four signees ranked in the top 10, Kentucky has secured the No. 1 recruiting class. However, the fifth signee for the Wildcats, Reed Sheppard, may be one of the most valuable.

The son of Kentucky legends Jeff Sheppard and Stacey Sheppard, Reed is currently ranked 29th in the country according to 247 Sports Composite, Sheppard is the highest-ranked recruit from the State of Kentucky since former Louisville player Chane Behanan (Bowling Green, KY) back in 2011.

Furthermore, he is the highest-ranked recruit from the state of Kentucky to play for the Wildcats since Rex Chapman.

Yet, in terms of rankings, Sheppard may not be the most heralded recruit of the class. Kentucky assistant K.T. Turner believes he will be the “biggest surprise”.

“I think the biggest surprise is going to be Reed (Sheppard), the way he passes the ball, especially as he continues to get his shot better. He’s going to be a really good player,” Turner said this week.

But why?

“His passing was phenomenal,” Turner said. ”You add that on top of his passing and shooting, and he’s going to be a really good player.”

With a team full of superstar talent, Sheppard could be a ‘do-it-all’ guy that will benefit the team and John Calipari thinks so too. “He’s here because he’s a really good player who can help this team win,” Calipari said.

You can watch the entire interview here.

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