BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A dream is set to come true for former North Laurel High School and University of Kentucky basketball star Reed Sheppard on Wednesday.
Sheppard is expected to be one of the top picks in Wednesday’s NBA Draft taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. He is one of 29 players that have been invited to the NBA Draft Green Room.
For those that do not know what the Green Room is — the NBA issues invites for prospects and their families to watch the draft in person. When a player is issued an invite to attend the event, it is a good indication of their draft stock.
Sheppard’s father, Jeff, who starred at the University of Kentucky, winning two national titles in 1996, and 1998 while earning Final Four MVP honors in ‘98 said things have been “a blur” for the past season.
“This is a fun time for everyone,” he admitted. “But this has been going so fast the past year. We are all trying to stay focused and trying to keep Reed focused. The invite to the Green Room is special because that means he is probably going to picked. The significance of that is huge. We are grateful for everything and excited to soak it all in.
“It doesn’t seem real. We are grateful for the overwhelming support and excited to take it all in. It’s heartwarming to see so many people invested in Reed’s journey, from coaches to teachers and pastors who have guided him along the way.”
Jeff Sheppard said Reed has been putting in a lot of work, participating in the NBA Combine in Chicago, and a Pro Day hosted in Los Angelas.
“All of the NBA teams came in for that,” Sheppard said. “From there, he has had a handful of individual workouts. He’s doing all he can with the workouts along with interviewing and testing.”
Sheppard also said Reed recently worked out for the Atlanta Hawks, who have the No. 1 overall pick in the first round, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Charlotte Hornets.
“He did individual workouts for them,” Sheppard said. “They wanted to see him on the court, face-to-face, and see him in the film room.”
With 75 family members and friends eagerly awaiting the draft results in New York, Jeff Sheppard said Reed is eager and prepared for the next chapter in his basketball career.
“Reed is excited and ready for Wednesday,” Sheppard said. “He’s enjoyed the process, but at the same time, he’s ready to be on a team.
“You’ll see the family in full effect at the draft. London will be well-represented. I’m sure New York will never be the same,” he laughed.
