The NBA is soon to get some stock-rising talent with the Draft less than a month away. With all eyes on the French wonder kid Alex Sarr, who is projected to be the No.1 overall choice, there are several other noteworthy talents who have the potential to headline the lottery picks. Two of them are fresh off providing their impeccable services for Kentucky as freshmen. The Wildcats were eliminated in the opening round of their NCAA tournament. However, hardly anyone can ignore the contributions of Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham.

Consequently, both these names can grab a lot of eyeballs in the 2024 edition of the NBA draft. But before that, the LA Clippers No. 13 and Podcast P host Paul George wanted to have a grasp of their chemistry. Therefore, he asked Sheppard about the part of Rob’s game that contributed most to his success in his freshman season. Sheppard replied, “When Rob gets the ball, everybody thinks that Rob’s going to score. That’s what he does best. He’s the best going and getting it and going to get a bucket.” 

Coming off the bench, Dillingham averaged 15.2 p.p.g and 2.9 r.p.g. In addition to this, he was also efficient as a distributor by dishing out 3.9 assists per contest and landing three-pointers at an accuracy of 44.4%. Sheppard reflected on it further and added, “He’s a good player. Unbelievable guy, unbelievable player. It was awesome being able to play with him.” 

Meanwhile, the efforts of the 2024 USBWA Freshman of the Year are also worth a watch.

Reed Sheppard slaying it as a freshman

Projected to be the second overall pick for the Washington Wizards in the 2024 NBA Mock Drafts, the 19-year-old, was the cream of the crop in the Kentucky locker room. In the 33 games this season, he averaged 12.9 points along with 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists every time he stepped onto the court. What astonished many was the way he landed his beyond-the-arc shots.

Out of his 145 attempts, the McDonald’s All-American converted 75 (52.1%). This alone makes him a worthy inclusion to any franchise. Sheppard’s ability to score field goals is not so bad either, as he was 141 of 263 (53.6%) throughout his freshman campaign.

Undeniably, the excitement among fans will be utmost to watch these two phenomenal athletes step onto the professional court. Their unique and distinctive qualities can be an asset to any franchise. It will be interesting to see where they will head and showcase their exceptional skills.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.