It’s become apparent for a while now that Belmont University’s Ben Sheppard is likely be selected in the NBA Draft on June 22.
The question now: How high will he go?
kAm&A F?E:= 2 76H H66<D 28@[ 2=>@DE 6G6CJ }qp 5C27E 2?2=JDE 7:8FC65 $96AA2C5[ 2 e\e[ `hd\A@F?5 D9@@E:?8 8F2C5 7C@> pE=2?E2[ H@F=5 36 A:4<65 :? E96 D64@?5 C@F?5]k^Am
kAmqFE E92?<D :? A2CE E@ 2 DEC@?8 D9@H:?8 2E E96 }qp sC27E r@>3:?6 :? >:5\|2J[ $96AA2C5 :D ?@H 4@?D:56C65 3J D@>6 2D 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 A:4<]k^Am
kAm$9@F=5 E92E 92AA6?[ $96AA2C5 H@F=5 364@>6 q6=>@?E’D D64@?5 7:CDE\C@F?5 D6=64E:@? :? E96 A2DE 7:G6 J62CD[ 2D E96 r=6G6=2?5 r2G2=:6CD D6=64E65 7@CH2C5 sJ=2? (:?5=6C :? E96 7:CDE C@F?5 WaeE9 @G6C2==X @7 E96 a_`h 5C27E]k^Am
kAm%96 pE9=6E:4’D >@DE C646?E >@4< 5C27E 925 $96AA2C5 2D 2 D64@?5\C@F?5 D6=64E:@?[ E2<6? 3J E96 {@D p?86=6D {2<6CD H:E9 E96 cfE9 @G6C2== A:4<] %96 }qp sC27E #@@> AC@;64ED $96AA2C5 E@ 8@ 62C=J :? E96 D64@?5 C@F?5[ bcE9 E@ E96 r92C=@EE6 w@C?6ED]k^Am
kAmqFE 2E =62DE EH@ @E96C D:E6D ?@H =:DE $96AA2C5 2D 2 7:CDE\C@F?5 D6=64E:@?]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^$x]4@>Qm$x]4@>k^2m 92D $96AA2C5 8@:?8 agE9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D:]4@>^?32^5C27E^AC@DA64E\AC@7:=6D^?32\5C27E\D4@FE:?8\C6A@CE\36=>@?ED\36?\D96AA2C5Ta_Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8m@G6C2==k^DEC@?8mk^2m[ E@ E96 &E29 y2KK[ 2?5 @776C65 E9:D AC@DA64E AC@7:=6ik^Am
kAm“$96AA2C5 766=D =:<6 2 C62= D=66A6C :? E9:D 4=2DD[ 36:?8 2 ;F>3@ 8F2C5 H:E9 D9@@E:?8 E@F49 2?5 E96 =6?8E9 E@ 5676?5 2E 2 9:89 =6G6=] w6 92D 2 8@@5 766= 7@C E96 82>6 8:G6? 96 92D A=2J65 A@:?E 8F2C5 :? E96 A2DE[ D@ 96 92D =625 8F2C5 D<:==D 3FE :D >@C6 @7 2? }qp @77\32== 8F2C5 @C H:?8 H:E9 9:D D:K6]”k^Am
kAmq=62496C #6A@CE FAD E96 2?E6 @? $96AA2C5 :? :ED >@DE C646?E >@4< k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3=62496CC6A@CE]4@>^2CE:4=6D^`__ffeeh\a_ab\?32\>@4<\5C27E\FA52E65\7F==\a\C@F?5\AC65:4E:@?DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8m5C27Ek^DEC@?8mk^2m[ 7@C642DE:?8 E96 |:2>: w62E E@ E2<6 $96AA2C5 2E }@] `g @G6C2==]k^Am
kAm“x?E6C6DE :? $96AA2C5 92D D?@H32==65 D:?46 E96 }qp 4@>3:?6[ 2D 96 ?@H 92D E62>D H:E9 A:4<D :? E96 E66?D 3C:?8:?8 9:> :? 7@C H@C<@FED[” q=62496C #6A@CE’D y@?2E92? (2DD6C>2? HC@E6] “$4@FED 2?5 6I64FE:G6D DF556?=J DE2CE65 E@ E2<6 9:D `g]g A@:?ED 2?5 dg]a ECF6 D9@@E:?8 A6C46?E286 2E q6=>@?E >@C6 D6C:@FD=J 27E6C 96 E@C4965 8C@FAD @7 D64@?5\C@F?5 AC@DA64ED :? r9:428@] $92CA A:4<\2?5\C@== @776?D6 2?5 D9@@E:?8 G6CD2E:=:EJ 2C6 62C?:?8 $96AA2C5 =68:E:>2E6 4@?D:56C2E:@? :? E96 >:5\E@\=2E6 7:CDE C@F?5]”k^Am
kAm$96AA2C5 H2D ?2>65 E@ E96 2==\|:DD@FC: '2==6J r@?76C6?46 E62> =2DE D62D@? 2E q6=>@?E 27E6C 2G6C28:?8 `g]g A@:?ED[ d]a C63@F?5D 2?5 a]h 2DD:DED A6C 82>6] w6 D9@E cg A6C46?E 7C@> E96 7:6=5 @G6C2== 2?5 ca A6C46?E 7C@> E9C66\A@:?E C2?86]k^Am
kAmx? $96AA2C5’D 7:CDE D4C:>>286 282:?DE 6=:E6 AC@DA64ED 2E E96 }qp 4@>3:?6[ 96 E@E2=65 `_ A@:?ED[ E9C66 C63@F?5D[ @?6 2DD:DE 2?5 @?6 DE62=]k^Am
kAmqFE $96AA2C5 ECF=J @A6?65 D@>6 6J6D :? 9:D D64@?5 D4C:>>286[ H96? 96 D4@C65 2 82>6\9:89 ad A@:?ED[ 9:EE:?8 @? 6:89E\@7\`_ D9@ED @G6C2== 2?5 E9C66\@7\7:G6 7C@> E9C66\A@:?E C2?86] w6 25565 7@FC C63@F?5D[ E9C66 2DD:DED[ EH@ DE62=D 2?5 @?6 3=@4<65 D9@E]k^Am
kAm$96AA2C5 92D C6A@CE65=J H@C<65 @FE 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9@@AD9JA6]4@>^=:DED^a_ab\?32\5C27E\H@C<@FE\EC24<6C\H96C6\92G6\AC@DA64ED\8@?6^Ta_Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8m>F=E:A=6k^DEC@?8mk^2m }qp E62>D[ :?4=F5:?8 pE=2?E2[ v@=56? $E2E6[ x?5:2?2[ }6H ~C=62?D[ !@CE=2?5[ $24C2>6?E@ 2?5 &E29]k^Am

