LEXINGTON — Former North Laurel High School star Reed Sheppard had a memorable debut as a Kentucky Wildcat in their season-opening win against New Mexico State on Monday.
The freshman played a significant role in the No. 16 Wildcats’ 86-46 victory, showcasing his skills on both ends of the court.
Sheppard contributed 12 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting, along with five rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks, and zero turnovers in 21 minutes of play.
Reflecting on his first game as a Wildcat, Sheppard expressed his excitement of playing his first game as a Wildcat.
“Putting on the jersey for the first time and running out with my teammates, running out to the best fans in the nation hollering. It was really, really cool and something that I have dreamed of my whole life. It was a dream come true, it was unbelievable.”
Sheppard made an impact early in the game, entering with 14:04 remaining in the first half and immediately scoring his first points with a slam dunk. He credited his teammate DJ Wagner for the assist, describing the moment as “awesome” and “really cool.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari was happy Sheppard’s performance, particularly highlighting his exceptional hands on defense. Sheppard emphasized the importance of trust and teamwork on defense, acknowledging the support he receives from his teammates.
“Just being able to pressure the ball and trusting my teammates that they are going to be in the right spot, and I have four other really good defenders behind me that, if something goes wrong, if I get beat off the dribble, they have my back and can make something good happen.”
Calipari also praised Sheppard’s defensive play, along with teammates Rob Dillingham and DJ Wagner.
He stressed the significance of having guards who can effectively guard the ball.
“Because if you can’t guard the ball, you can’t play,” Calipari said. “You can’t — your defense is done before you start. We guarded the ball pretty good. But those two are really disruptive. Reed played great, did great stuff.”
During the postgame press conference, Calipari hinted at a halftime adjustment that had an impact on the game.
When asked about the crowd’s enthusiastic response to Sheppard, given his legacy as a player, Calipari playfully asked the reporters — “Were you watching the game? Did you know what adjustment I made at halftime? I love this because you guys have no idea, yet you will tell me how to coach and what I should be doing and all of that stuff. So what adjustment did I make in the second half? I love this. I am not going to tell you. It was a tweak.”
