Ben Sheppard fills a lot of holes for a ton of teams and could possibly give a lot more of an impact than many give him credit for. He’s exactly what a lot of teams want in a wing role player, he shoots the ball efficiently as a low-maintenance scorer and does the little things well. Last year at Belmont he thrived as the primary option but ended up going under the radar for most of the season. His stock didn’t start trending until after Belmont finished playing and he received an invite to the NBA draft combine. There he displayed a ton of the tools you would like to have in your role player. He also measured very well athletically for a guy that didn’t really rely on physical prowess. He lit up the first day of scrimmages with twenty-five points with almost perfect shooting splits. He showed that he can be a guy that slips into a game and quickly makes his mark offensively. During his Senior year, he shot over forty percent on catch-and-shoot attempts despite being the player that opposing teams treated as the primary option. His free throw percentage was a little lower than what scouts would like collegiately but his form looks good and the other areas of the floor weren’t a concern shooting-wise. He can make tough shots from across the entire arc off of movement, from behind screens, and off of rebounds or sloppy passes. He covers the mistakes of his teammates very well and is a reliable and consistent option that his team can lean on. He managed to be the leading scorer at Belmont by a very large margin despite not commanding a lot of duty handling the ball. He makes decisions with the ball very quickly so it doesn’t take a lot of reps or time for him to put up big numbers. If a defender is coming in on him he makes sure to get the ball out of his hands whether that’s through a shot attempt or a pass. He’s a smart playmaker that’s very unselfish with the ball, he played a lot more combo guard than wing in his earlier years so he developed a feel for moving the ball around. He’s great at finding teammates in other spots along the perimeter and locating the rolling big or open man on the inside. He ran a lot of pick and rolls at Belmont so he has experience making tight window passes despite playing against weaker competition. He weaves the ball around defenders very well through wrap-around and bounce passes and doesn’t have a very high turnover rate even though he can be a bit too daring at times. He isn’t a standout finisher in any setting but his shooting ability will keep him on the outside for the majority of his time on the floor in the NBA so it isn’t something to worry about too much. His tendency to shoot rather than drive in transition is a bad habit that coaches in the league don’t like but it’s something that should be easy for him to get over and he shot well in those opportunities so it hopefully won’t give staff too much of a headache. Defensively he stays aware and moves well on and off the ball. He doesn’t mess up on switches and keeps track of his assignment well. He fights through screens and bigger players despite potentially lacking the same size as other players and not being a super physical player in general. His effort and tenacity are there so even if he isn’t quite able to keep up athletically I expect him to be effective. Opponents can’t afford to make many mistakes around him because he presses the other team a lot in passing lanes and often goes for steals and jabs at the ball. He does so many of the tiny things that teams love and should be a guy that can plug in instantly. We have seen how wing players affect playoff teams and how certain traits are vital for NBA success and I feel as if Ben can bring what teams look for in an ideal role player. He spaces the floor, makes the right read, and plays hard defensively which is everything you can ask for in a player that looks to make an impact.

Tremendous shooter, but not as athletic as he needs to be. Might struggle at first due to lack of burst and first step. Plays like Quintin Grimes, without the athleticism.

Tall perimeter shooter, staple of Belmont offense Active on and off-ball, energy player Loves to push the pace, out-hustle defense Opportunity seeker, helps team in every which way he can Effective off-ball player, seeks perimeter chances Loves getting out and running in transition, once again, out-runs defense Pace can backfire, losing control of the ball in his hands, lack ability to stabilize possession Active, disruptive hands as a perimeter defender, so tough o keep the ball away from him Needs to understand and stay to his role. Tried to be the main creator for Belmont this season, though needs to be an energetic, tall shooter at the next level, a projectably easy transition May have to rest Sheppard more than you’d like to, quick-minute player Quick and active feet, combined with elevated hands make for a defensive pest in Sheppard Could use some work driving the lane, a bit too impacted via contact Such a quick, pure release, electric, impossible to guard Bit rushed, head-in-front-of-his-body at the combine, needs to make simpler plays at times Can truly get the offense going with three point swishes Extreme gravitational force, shot threat pulls defenders to him Impressively active and clever cutter once he finds an opportunity, an all-around off-ball masterclass Falls for ball fakes too often, really anxious Pug-and-play forward that’ll provide you with spacing and three-point ability Fluid mid-range player, gets to his spot and executes Brings a relentless, contagious cheerful spirit of the game Coach’s dream, values hustle, spacing Could benefit from changes of pace, needs a bit more versatility with his size-up moves Makes can be so pure and pretty. Fluid shooter Unlimited Range Very quick handler, want to make an impact through driving with the basketball Flashes of solid playmaking, court vision ability Impactful over-the-head, soccer pass Shot selection can be questionable, gets too confident in his shooting ability Lacks reading ability with his dishes, doesn’t consider the defense’s ability at all times Really impressive frame, long and tall Lacks touch in the lane, a bit too quadratic Can get tired himself, take possessions off Length is a handy tool on contest attempts Lacks patience down the court, makes quick, sloppy decisions Lacks the lateral ability to keep his man in front of him, can’t maintain alignment with shifty players Real ability to excel off-ball, be impactful at the next level, cuts commonly and strategically Really weak finisher, doesn’t move through contact, isn’t doesn’t trust waiting Not much of a bag, resorts to quickness off his drives, doesn’t work against more coached defenders Got figured out as an offensive player as games progressed, will most likely be a bench shooting option Flashes of solid blocking ability Stretches were he just runs, passes, and moves about the perimeter, very little impact, may only be player when he’s feeling it Doesn’t have feel as a defender, gets too unconfident with himself, guesses when the offensive player will rise Older prospect