NBA slams Kentucky player with heavy punishment over misconduct,New head coach confirms…

That’s not how things have played out, and it’s been a great development for Kentucky, as those two have played at an incredibly high level that has this team thinking about No. 9.

That’s how it will hopefully end, because we’re probably not seeing either one of them back for next season at their current pace. The latest example of why that’s likely is ESPN’s new 2024 NBA Draft rankings, which have Dillingham coming in at No. 7 overall, followed by Sheppard at No. 16. Here’s what Jeremy Woo had to say about Dillingham.

The biggest surprise of the NBA draft cycle thus far, Sheppard has played an essential role in Kentucky’s transformation into one of the fastest-paced offenses in college basketball. He has emerged as arguably the best shooter in the class, shooting 28-for-50 from 3 (56%) through 12 games, while showing high-level pace and court vision whipping passes all over the floor with his terrific feel for the game.

This also manifests itself vividly on the defensive end, with Sheppard generating steals and blocks at an outstanding rate. Measured at just 6-2 with a 6-3 wingspan, Sheppard’s physical tools are a major question mark, especially since he has struggled at times handling pressure and being swallowed up inside the paint as a primary ball handler versus the better teams Kentucky has faced. As good a defender as he is off the ball, he gets overpowered one-on-one by bigger players as well. For those reasons, SEC competition will reveal a lot about Sheppard, particularly in how his role evolves