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Reed Sheppard Is a Top 10 Player in College Basketball, According to the Numbers

Published

3 years ago

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Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard celebrates after beating No. 8 Miami 95-73.
UK Athletics

Reed Sheppard has been the most surprising player for Kentucky this season, but he has now started to receive recognition as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, surprises in all of college basketball by the national media.

It’s not that people thought he wasn’t talented, but he just doesn’t have the same athleticism or elite physical tools that most highly-ranked recruits possess. But what he does have is ELITE basketball IQ, which has led him to become one of the most impactful and efficient players in the country.

As of November 30th, Sheppard’s averages:

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  • 12.2 points per game
    • 63.4% FG (30-46 FG, leads UK)
    • 61.5 3P% (19-30 3P, leads UK)
    • 100 FT% (7-7 FT, leads UK)
  • 4.5 rebounds per game
  • 4 assists per game
  • 3 steals per game (leads UK)
  • 1.2 blocks per game

What is even more amazing is that Sheppard is doing all that averaging the sixth most minutes on the team with 24.7 minutes per game.

According to data scientist and college basketball statistician Evan Miya, Sheppard is not just the best freshman in the country, not just the best player in the SEC, but also the seventh-best player in all of college basketball. This is according to the Bayesian Performance Rating, which is considered to be the “ultimate measure” of a player’s overall value.

BPR: Bayesian Performance Rating is the sum of a player’s OBPR and DBPR. This rating is the ultimate measure of a player’s overall value to his team when he is on the floor. BPR is interpreted as the number of points per 100 possessions better than the opponent the player’s team is expected to be if the player were on the court with 9 other average players. A higher rating is better.

Sheppard’s box score has been fun to watch all season, but one number that has been the most interesting to watch is his plus-minus. While it is a criticized, and at times misleading statistic, it is one of the best statistics to show a player’s impact with a good sample size and correct reading.

Over seven games, including two against Top 10 opponents, Sheppard is +162. That is the highest of any freshman in the country and also the highest of any player playing under 25 minutes per game, displaying efficiency. What makes it most impressive is that he has just one teammate on this list, Tre Mitchell who is 23rd. Meaning, the team as a whole is not just beating up on weaker opponents.

Just a month into the season, Sheppard has already played himself into the national spotlight and the one-and-done conversation. With 20+ games remaining, the sky is the limit on what he can add to his young legacy.

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Men's Basketball

Star Forward Milan Momcilovic Chooses Kentucky Over Louisville and Arizona

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23 hours ago

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June 1, 2026

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Photo via AOL

The wait is over BBN!

Milan Momcilovic has officially announced that he will be playing his senior year of college basketball at Kentucky, suiting up in the blue and white for Mark Pope and the Wildcats!

The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 16.9 points per game in the 2025-26 season, leading the nation in 3-pointers made (136) and percentage from deep (48.7%).

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Momcilovic is mostly ranked as No. 2 in most portal rankings, but ESPN has the former Cyclone as the No. 1 overall player. With that being said, this technically serves as Pope’s first No. 1 transfer during his tenure at Kentucky.

Pulling his name out of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27, Kentucky was seemingly the favorite to land the wing during the entire sweepstakes due to positional need, scheme fit and money available to spend. He could even play another year with the Kentucky Wildcats if the “5-in-5” rule is passed and he forgoes the draft again.

Putting Pat Kelsey in a locker and outbidding him on a recruit is always great for morale, but this fills the much-needed star spot for next year’s roster. Pope and his staff have shaped the team with plenty of skilled players, but Momcilovic adds that extra layer of shooting and will serve as the go-to guy when a game may be on the line.

This will be the final player added to the 2026-27 team, with an insert at the starting small forward position in Momcilovic’s future. Pope and the Big Blue Nation have their guy, and soon enough, we’ll see the Pewaukee, Wisconsin native on Rupp Arena’s court.

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Men's Basketball

National Reporter Matt Norlander Chooses Kentucky as Landing Spot for Star Forward Milan Momcilovic

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5 days ago

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May 28, 2026

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Photo via Imagn Images

The Milan Momcilovic sweepstakes is underway, with multiple teams involved in the No. 2 overall transfer player’s recruitment. It is believed that Kentucky and Louisville are the top candidates after his decision to pull out from the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27.

Along with the in-state rivals, Arizona and St. John’s are both very well still in the mix, but the Red Storm are slowly falling out of contention after landing Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou.

On May 28, national reporter Matt Norlander cleared the air on CBS Sports’ Eye On College Basketball podcast, stating that he believes Kentucky will land Momcilovic by the end of the weekend or Monday.

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“My prediction right now is that Milan Momcilovic will go to Kentucky,” Norlander said. “My understanding is that decision is going to come in the next one, two, three days, four days max.”

He would go on to talk about the other top programs involved, stating why he thinks they will be working in an uphill battle in this bidding war.

“My forecast is that it’s Kentucky, but you know, we’ll see if Louisville can get in there,” he continued. “Arizona I don’t think has the money to contend, like I think Kentucky and Louisville just have more money to play with.”

For the worried members of the Big Blue Nation, this is certainly good news to be put out by one of the most trusted college basketball reporters at the national level.

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Going by this report and Adam Zagoria’s from NYT Sports, it shouldn’t be long until a commitment decision for Momcilovic is announced publicly.

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Men's Basketball

BREAKING: No. 2 Ranked Transfer Milan Momcilovic Removes Name From 2026 NBA Draft

Published

6 days ago

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May 27, 2026

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Kamil Krzaczynski | Imagn Images

Milan Momcilovic has officially removed his named from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to college for his senior season.

Kentucky leads in his recruitment, followed closely by St. John’s, Louisville and Arizona. A backdoor to Iowa State is also still open.

The No. 2 ranked transfer would be a huge addition to Kentucky’s 2026-27 roster if he committed, averaging 16.9 points per game on 50.6/48.7/87.8 shooting splits last year. Funny enough, in the current world of college athletics that we live in, Momcilovic was responsible for eliminating the Wildcats from the NCAA Tournament, dropping 20 points in the Round of 32.

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He would go on to lose to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 with Iowa State, so at least we know that there’s some inner-hatred for a long-standing rival if he ends up a Wildcat.

He made the most three-point shots in Division I basketball and is a versatile 6-foot-8 wing, which would fit perfectly into Mark Pope’s offensive system. He completed workouts with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves during the draft process.

Now, the bidding war for the top dog begins, with some of the most prestigious programs in the sport placing their bets on the star forward.

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