Ben Sheppard (born July 16, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Belmont Bruins.
| No. 26 – Indiana Pacers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 16, 2001 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, Georgia) |
| College | Belmont (2019–2023) |
| NBA draft | 2023: 1st round, 26th overall pick |
| Selected by the Indiana Pacers | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | Indiana Pacers |
| 2023–2024 | →Indiana Mad Ants |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early life and high school
editSheppard grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC).[1] He averaged 13.7 points per game during his junior season as GAC won the Class AAA State Championship.[2]
College career
editSheppard played in 32 games averaging 2.9 points during his freshman season at Belmont. He became a starter going into his sophomore year and averaged 10.5 points on the year.[3] Sheppard was named first team All-Ohio Valley Conference as a junior after averaging 16.2 points per game.[4] He was named first team All-Missouri Valley Conference, to which the Bruins had moved, as a senior after averaging 18.8 points per game.[5][6]
Professional career
editThe Indiana Pacers selected Sheppard with the 26th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.[7] On July 1, 2023, Sheppard signed his rookie contract with the Pacers alongside the 8th overall pick Jarace Walker.[8]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
editRegular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Indiana | 57 | 1 | 14.3 | .393 | .314 | .885 | 1.6 | .9 | .6 | .0 | 4.4 |
| Career | 57 | 1 | 14.3 | .393 | .314 | .885 | 1.6 | .9 | .6 | .0 | 4.4 | |
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Indiana | 17 | 2 | 19.7 | .437 | .380 | .778 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .5 | .1 | 5.2 |
| Career | 17 | 2 | 19.7 | .437 | .380 | .778 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .5 | .1 | 5.2 | |
References
edit- ^ "Greater Atlanta Christian grad Ben Sheppard earns NBA Combine invitation". Gwinnett Daily Post. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ "GAC's Ben Sheppard commits to Belmont for basketball". GwinnettPrepSports.com. September 15, 2018. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ Secrest, Landen (February 23, 2022). "Ben Sheppard is Belmont basketball's strong and silent superstar". BelmontVision.com. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Awtrey, Stan (November 28, 2022). "Greater Atlanta Christian grad Ben Sheppard shows off game in Belmont's win at Georgia State". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Moore, Joe (May 10, 2023). "Trail Blazers Work Out 6 NBA Draft Prospects Today". BlazersEdge.com. SB Nation. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Peek, Krysten (May 19, 2023). "NBA Draft Combine: 6 standouts who helped their draft stock the most". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ "'He's a multiple-effort guy': Pacers select Ben Sheppard with 26th pick in NBA Draft". Indianapolis Star. June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Hill, Arthur (July 1, 2023). "Pacers Sign Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved July 1, 2023.