NBA Comparison: Garrett Temple

Strengths: An impactful 3-and-D wing who was outstanding in his four seasons at Belmont on both sides of the ball … Showed out in NBA Combine scrimmages, which included a 25-point game, one-point shy of an NBA Combine record … Smooth and efficient shooting stroke from beyond the arc at 41.5% as a senior … Showed impressive confidence initiating the offense and creating his own shot off the dribble at the NBA Combine. Decent playmaker on the wing as well with three assists per game … Playmaking background as he was named the best passer in the Atlanta area in 2019 and grew up as a point guard due to a late growth spurt … Quick trigger and high release allow him to get shots up without much space on the perimeter … Aggressive slasher who showed he can initiate contact and get to the line with over four attempts per game … More than just a floor-spacing shooter with his handles and finishing inside the arc … Disruptive and agile defender who can switch 1-3 on the perimeter and even onto smaller 4’s to contest outside jumpers … Averaged nearly a steal and a half per game … Extremely intelligent player who reads defenses well with precise passing and timely cuts to get open looks for himself … Positive AST/TO ratio as a three-year starter with Belmont … Showed a selfless understanding of his role at the combine, shifting from go-to scorer at Belmont to exceptional role player alongside the talented teammates around him … Great positional size … Positive rebounder with over five per game in his final season … Stays out of foul trouble …

Weaknesses: Not the most explosive athlete with just a 35.5-inch max vertical. He’s also more quick than fast, often creating space for himself with shiftiness rather than straight-line speed … Faced low-level competition collegiality, compared to his draft competition, although he did show he belongs with that competition in the combine scrimmages … Taking these performances for what they were, just two scrimmages, and balancing that with four years of tape is the biggest challenge for evaluators … Turns 22 on July 16th, limiting his upside … Doesn’t have elite potential, but should be able to contribute as a role player if his efficiency carries over to the next level … Measurements, particularly wingspan, were slightly disappointing, but Sheppard plays much longer and taller than these measurements suggest … While his three point shot showed steady improvement throughout his college career, climbing to 40% as a senior, his FT percentage flat lined and hovered around and below 70% throughout four years at Belmont … Lack of efficiency from FT line clouds confidence in his ability to become a floor spacer/outside threat at next level …

Notes: Measured 6′ 5.25” barefoot, 8′ 4” standing reach, 194.6 lbs and a 6′ 7.75” wingspan and a 29.5 inch standing vertical and a 35.5′ inch max vertical at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine …Four-year career including three as the starter at Belmont … First Team All-Conference from 2022-2023 and First Team All-Defense in 2023 … Averaged 17.5 points in two scrimmages at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine as one of the top standouts from the event … Scored a career-high 41 points vs. Tennessee Tech as a junior …

Derek Bast 6/15/23