"We didn't want this on his mind": Reed Sheppard's parents recall shielding him from NBA after Kentucky breakthrough

Reed Sheppard went from being a top 50 prospect in the class of 2023 to becoming the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft after only playing a season of college basketball. Despite the high anticipations, his parents said they tried their best to shield him from the hype.

The point guard from London, Kentucky, was an unknown commodity to most basketball fans until this past season when he burst onto the scene for Kentucky. Speaking with KSR this week, his father Jeff Sheppard, a two-time national champion, recalled when life became hectic for the Sheppard family.

"I don’t know that I have a moment. We started getting bombarded from the NBA personnel after the Kentucky-Miami game, Reed kind of exploded on the scene in a key national television game,” Jeff told KSR. "The way that he did it, everybody kind of had an eye on him."

"From that moment on, it was a blur. It was truly every single day, something going on. We were trying to keep everything from Reed because we wanted him to be able to enjoy Kentucky. We didn’t want this on his mind, he didn’t want it on his mind, so we were able to keep it from him."

Reed Sheppard scored 21 points with five rebounds, four assists and three steals in a win against Miami during the ACC/SEC Challenge. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets on July 3, 2024.

Reed Sheppard's father says he would've returned to Kentucky

Reed Sheppard committed to his father Jeff's alma mater Kentucky in November 2021. He played a season with the Wildcats under John Calipari.

However, if Sheppard had decided not to join the NBA, Jeff believes he would not have used the transfer portal and simply go back to Kentucky

"I do think had Reed returned to school, he would have returned to Kentucky, 100 percent. 100 percent," Jeff said. "As much as he loves Coach Cal — and we love Coach Cal — I do think he would have stayed at Kentucky."

Reed Sheppard's parents were both former basketball players at Kentucky. His father Jeff won the NCAA championship twice and also had a brief spell at the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA. His mother Stacey Reed scored over 1,400 career points playing for the Wildcats.