Isn't there worry that with any other good ballhandler he would always take the backseat? If he did it with Dillingham, wouldn't he do the same with... any starting lead guard really... Keyonte... Sexton... etc. Meaning - what version of Sheppard do you think you are getting on an NBA team - the 25% usage version or the 15% version? And is the 15% version providing enough to justify being on the floor?
I think there is some positive to being more like Dillingham. Dilly is always going to be the top dog (ironically coming off the bench for Kentucky). That is what his role has always been and will be in the NBA for better or worse. I think if you're looking for the guy who is most likely to be a lead guard in this draft it's definitely him. Having said that, when it comes to Sheppard I see this situation differently. I think being able to be effective with and without the ball is a virtue. I think you can always ask a player to shoot more/handle the ball more....that's not a difficult conversation. But you can only do that if they have the ability to do so and I think Shep has demonstrated that he can. It's kind of hard to believe that guys like Hali and Shai were seen as low potential prospects coming into the draft, but that was an oversight due to looking at the role they played instead of their actual ability. If differing is the issue but not ability, I think that's an easy thing to solve.
There are no guarantees, but Shep has a lot going for him imo. The play without Dilly, the amount of his shots that are unassisted, the peripheral indicators like his extreme steal rate, the fact that we've seen this so many times with Coach Cal.
He's like... Stockton... in the absolute ideal case scenario. In the 99.99th percentile outcome... I just don't think he gets there or anywhere close... in the 50th percentile scenario he's like... a more defensively attentive Kendall Marshall or something like that.
Had discussions with others about this topic. Likelihood is that he's more of a super role player....but I still feel like that's not a bad outcome. Like he has the things you like Kendall Marshall for, but what if Kendall Marshall had Shep's shooting and defense? Totally different outcome for him. I think he could be a mix of several good role players. TJ McConnell with a sniperis what I think @Handlogten's Heros compared him to. I could see him being a mix of McConnell, Seth Curry, Pat Beverley. Maybe that mix doesn't amount to an all star (or maybe it does), but that's still pretty damn good for a middling outcome.