3 questions answered about Reed Sheppards potential as Spurs draft choice

The countdown to the draft is on. In less than 30 days, the Spurs will make a decision on what to do with their good fortune. As the only team in the NBA with two top-10 selections, San Antonio is in a position to add significant talent to their young roster. But choosing which prospects will help usher in the reawakening of the Silver and Black alongside Victor Wembanyama is not an exact science. Nothing is guaranteed.

Franchises miss on more draft picks than they hit on. That may be for a myriad of reasons, but that doesn't change reality. Due diligence is all you can expect from the front office tasked with building a contender when gambling is naturally built into the equation, and Reed Sheppard has been one of the answers several scouts have come up with for the Spurs in several mock drafts. There is a good reason for that.

Can Sheppard help on defense?

Reed Sheppard would not be mistaken for Jrue Holiday on the defensive end but few guards are. The Kentucky Wildcat stands at 6'3—an average size for a point guard in the NBA. That will do just fine next to the length the Spurs have been building the rest of the roster with, and when you can filter opponents into an awaiting black hole named Victor Wembanyama, it gives you some wiggle room on the perimeter.

Sheppard averaged 2.5 steals per game last season. So, while he may not stop Anthony Edwards in an iso situation (not many people will), he has shown a willingness to make opportunistic plays on the defense. When players enter the lane only to end up frantically searching for an outlet after being met in the paint by an alien ready to embarrass them for their transgressions, there should be plenty of chances to play the passing lanes, leading to fast break points.