Reed Sheppard put on a show for scouts and coaches at the NBA Draft Combine. As the draft process has gone along, he has done nothing but improve his draft stock, and one team appears to be very interested in him.
According to Sarah Todd of the Deseret News, the Utah Jazz have been impressed with the former Kentucky basketball star, and he could be on their short list of draft targets. She had this to say about Sheppard:
Kentucky freshman guard Reed Sheppard tested incredibly well at the combine. Though measuring in at just 6-feet-1.75 inches without shoes on, he posted the eighth-best standing vertical leap and fourth-best max vertical leap among all combine participants. The Jazz were already intrigued by Sheppard’s athleticism and skill, but he also had a great interview with the Jazz.
The Jazz interviewed a number of players, with Sheppard among them. They seem to have a need at guard, and his versatility would add extra value. The issue for Utah is that they don’t pick until the number ten spot. It’s unlikely that Sheppard is available at that spot, so a trade up will probably be required.
Sheppard has had a meteoric rise from being the 79th ranked recruit in the 2023 class to possibly being a top five pick in the NBA draft. The Jazz, though, might like it if he fell just a little big farther on draft night.