Ben Sheppard: From Belmont Standout to NBA Prospect
Benjamin Lee Sheppard (born July 16, 2001) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Sheppard's journey to the NBA is marked by a stellar collegiate career, first at Belmont University.
Early Years and High School Career
Prior to his time at Belmont, Sheppard was a letterwinner at Greater Atlanta Christian School under head coach David Eaton. He quickly became an impact player on both ends of the floor. Sheppard's high school accolades include being named to the 2018 and 2019 Georgia Class AAA First Team All-State, as well as the Georgia All-Region Team in the same years. His leadership helped GAC secure the 2018 Georgia Class AAA state championship, where he was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship game. By the end of his high school career, Sheppard had amassed over 1,000 points. He was also recognized as the 2019 Best Passer in the Atlanta area by GwinnettDailyPost.com. Furthermore, he was a three-time Georgia Tip-Off Club Team of the Month honoree in 2019. As a senior, he averaged 17.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, and as a junior, he averaged 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
Collegiate Career at Belmont
Sheppard's collegiate career at Belmont University saw him evolve into a dominant force, earning accolades and recognition across multiple seasons.
2019-20 Season
Sheppard made 32 game appearances and was named OVC Freshman of the Week (12/16/19). He had three double-figure scoring games. He posted 18 points vs. Carson-Newman (12/11/19), 10 points and three rebounds at JSU (2/1/20), and 10 points and three rebounds at EKU (2/22/20).
2020-21 Season
Sheppard continued to improve, earning two-time OVC Player of the Week honors and TSWA Player of the Week (1/5/21). He had 11 double-figure scoring games and was among OVC leaders in scoring and minutes played, and was a versatile defender. He scored a career-high 25 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals vs. EKU (2/11/21). Other notable performances include 22 points at JSU (1/16/21), 21 points and four rebounds vs. Murray St (12/30/20), and 21 points, seven rebounds, and six steals at UT Martin (1/2/21).
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2021-22 Season
This season marked a significant leap in Sheppard's performance. He was named to the All-OVC First Team and was also named OVC POTW (2/7/22). He ranked among OVC leaders in seven statistical categories and led Belmont, ranked fifth in OVC in scoring (16.2 ppg). Additionally, he ranked third in OVC in 3-point field goals made, led OVC in 2-point field goal percentage, ranked second in effective field goal percentage, and third in offensive player rating (Ken Pomeroy). He led Belmont with 29 double-figure scoring games, including seven games scoring 20+ points and scored a career-high 41 points at Tennessee Tech (2/5/22).
2022-23 Season
In his final year at Belmont, Sheppard achieved remarkable success. He was named to the All-MVC First Team and MVC All-Defensive Team. He was also recognized as a Mid-Major All-American and NABC All-District player. Sheppard's performance placed him among the MVC leaders in 16 statistical categories. He ranked second in the MVC in scoring, field goals, and 3-point field goal percentage. He was one of only four players in college basketball with at least 600 points, 150 rebounds, 75 assists, and 75 3-point field goals while shooting at least 40 percent from 3-point distance (alongside Brandin Podziemski, Souley Boum, and Landers Nolley). Sheppard was a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award. He had 29 double-figure scoring games, including 12 games with 20 or more points. He was the first player in the conference named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week three times and the only player named All-MVC First Team and MVC All-Defensive Team. Other achievements include being named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team. Among select company in college basketball in 2024 as players with at least 1,500 points, 450 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals. He joined program legends Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson to earn first team all-conference honors in consecutive seasons in two different conferences. He joined NBA Champion Clark, Windler and J.J. Mann as the only Belmont players of the NCAA Division I era to score 600 or more points in a season and was a runner-up for the Larry Bird Trophy - given to the MVC Player of Year.
NBA Draft and Professional Career
Sheppard's impressive college career drew the attention of NBA scouts, leading to an invitation to the NBA Combine. His performance at the combine further solidified his draft stock. The Indiana Pacers selected Ben Sheppard with the 26th pick in the NBA Draft. Soon after, Sheppard signed with the Pacers.
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