Sacramento Kings host 3 intriguing prospects in pre-draft workouts
By Logan Struck
Ben Sheppard – SG/SF, Belmont
Ben Sheppard is a 21-year-old prospect whose name has been everywhere recently, as his draft stock skyrocketed after the NBA Combine. While the biggest question around him was his competition level in college, he has shown that he can keep up with anybody. In his Senior year, the 6’6″ guard averaged 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 41.5% from three.
His impressive display of athleticism and scrimmage play at the combine made scouts rethink their opinions on the guard out of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Kings are one of many teams that brought Sheppard in for a workout, so they can only hope he falls to pick 24 at this point. Many mock drafts have him going in the late teens, but everything can change between now and June 22nd.
The MVC All-Defensive Team selection showed he does it on both ends of the court, but it is a question mark whether that defense translates to the NBA. His strong frame suggests he should guard fellow shooting guards just fine, but time will tell. His impressive shooting ability and decision-making put him in 3-and-D conversations.
Ben Sheppard has been linked with the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz, both selecting before the Kings in the first round. Sheppard would be a great fit on this Kings squad, as he is an NBA-ready prospect even though he is making a leap from the MVC to the NBA.