By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-06-24 12:20:28
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard)本赛季获得美国篮球作家协会评选的年度最佳新秀称号。
马刺队将带着队史首次的两张前十顺位选秀权参加本周三的NBA选秀大会，他们分别持有第四和第八顺位。
如果不算去年马刺队以状元签选中维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)，这两张选秀权将是球队自1997年以来最高的选秀顺位。
以下是马刺队可能在这些顺位考虑的球员的系列分析文章：
马刺队上赛季创造了球队纪录，投进了1036个三分球。
但这并不像听起来那么令人印象深刻。
这一数字在NBA排名第16位，而马刺队的三分球命中率（34.7%）则更加不尽如人意。只有两支球队——孟菲斯和波特兰——的三分球命中率比他们更低。
所有这些都表明，马刺队在休赛期急需射手。如果运气好的话，这或许是球队管理层能够在周三解决的问题。
肯塔基大学的里德·谢泼德被广泛认为是今年选秀大会上最优秀的射手。这位身高6英尺3英寸的谢泼德在他唯一一年的大学生涯中，三分球命中率高达52%，并且在运球和接球投篮方面都表现出色。
仅仅这个数字就应该让谢泼德对马刺队或其他任何想要提升外线射手的重建球队来说都很有吸引力。
20岁的谢泼德在肯塔基大学场均贡献12.5分、4.5次助攻和2.5次抢断，在那里他可以说是家族传承的球员。他的父亲杰夫和母亲——前斯泰西·里德——都是肯塔基大学的明星球员。
凭借自己的努力，谢泼德获得了NCAA年度最佳新秀的称号。
谢泼德作为一名NBA得分后卫身材偏矮，但拥有足够的控球技术，可以在某些情况下担任控球后卫。从身体素质来看，他的数据与另一位用投篮技巧弥补身材和防守短板的超级射手斯蒂芬·库里相差无几。
在现阶段将谢泼德与库里相提并论显然是愚蠢的。但如果谢泼德能够以接近他在大学时的命中率投篮，他可以立即成为像马刺队这样的投篮能力欠佳的球队的宝贵资产。
毕竟，一支拥有维克托·文班亚马的球队应该很容易为其他球员创造空位三分球投篮机会。马刺队只需要更多能够投进这些球的球员。
马刺队无法得到谢泼德的主要因素是什么？他可能在第四顺位被选中。
大多数选秀分析师普遍认为休斯顿将在第三顺位选中谢泼德——如果火箭队保留这个选秀权。
有传言说休斯顿可能愿意在今年的选秀大会上交易到更低的顺位去选择其他人，在这种情况下，马刺队可以选择向上交易来选择谢泼德。
同样，其他球队也可能与火箭队交换第三顺位，在那里选择其他球员，从而让谢泼德在第四顺位可用。
如果是这样的话，马刺队可能会面临一个艰难的抉择，他们需要在谢泼德和康涅狄格大学的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)之间做出选择。如果是这样的话，谢泼德更出色的投篮能力可能会胜出。
如果马刺队无法得到谢泼德，他们可能会在乐透区后面继续寻找射手。
田纳西大学的神射手达尔顿·克内克特(Dalton Knect)可能会在第八顺位被选中，他也可以填补马刺队阵容中明显的需要。
资料图片 - 肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德（15号）试图传球，田纳西大学前锋托贝·阿瓦卡（11号）防守。时间是2024年3月9日星期六，地点是田纳西州诺克斯维尔，比赛为NCAA大学篮球赛。谢泼德被认为是本月NBA选秀大会上的顶级新秀之一。
田纳西大学前锋J.P.埃斯特拉(13号)试图从肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德(15号)手中抢断。时间是2024年3月15日星期五，地点是田纳西州纳什维尔，比赛为东南联盟锦标赛。
肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德(15号)在比赛中运球推进。时间是2024年3月9日星期六，地点是田纳西州诺克斯维尔，比赛为NCAA大学篮球赛。
肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德(15号)在比赛中投篮，田纳西大学后卫圣地亚哥·维斯考维(25号)防守。时间是2024年3月9日星期六，地点是田纳西州诺克斯维尔，比赛为NCAA大学篮球赛。
肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德在比赛中投篮，密西西比州立大学前锋凯肖恩·墨菲(12号)防守，后卫达肖恩·戴维斯(10号)等待篮板球。时间是2024年2月27日星期二，地点是密西西比州斯塔克斯维尔，比赛为NCAA大学篮球赛。
肯塔基大学后卫里德·谢泼德(15号)在比赛中投篮，密西西比州立大学前锋D.J.杰弗里斯(左)防守。时间是2024年2月27日星期二，地点是密西西比州斯塔克斯维尔，比赛为NCAA大学篮球赛。
点击查看原文：Spurs draft prospect: The case for Reed Sheppard
Spurs draft prospect: The case for Reed Sheppard
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard earned national freshman of the year honors from the USBWA this season.
The Spurs enter Wednesday’s NBA draft armed with a pair of top 10 picks for the first time in team history, holding the No. 4 and No. 8 selections.
Had it not been for last year, when the Spurs famously nabbed Victor Wembanyama first overall, either of those picks would have marked the club’s highest draft slots since 1997.
This is the next in a series of profiles of prospects the Spurs might consider at those spots:
The Spurs set a franchise record last season by making 1,036 3-pointers.
That is not quite the accomplishment it sounds like.
That total ranked 16th in the NBA, and the Spurs’ conversion rate (34.7 percent) was even less impressive. Only two teams – Memphis and Portland – shot worse from deep.
All that is to say, the Spurs headed into the offseason in desperate search of shooting. With a little luck, it is a need the front office might be able to address as soon as Wednesday.
Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard is widely regarded as the top shooting prospect in this year’s draft pool. The 6-foot-3 Sheppard made an astounding 52 percent from beyond the arc in his lone college season, and excelled off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot scenarios.
That number alone should make Sheppard intriguing to the Spurs or any other rebuilding team looking to upgrade their perimeter shooting.
Sheppard, 20, averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals at Kentucky, where he was something of a legacy player. His father Jeff and mother – the former Stacey Reed – were both standouts for the Wildcats.
For his efforts, Sheppard was named the NCAA’s Freshman of the Year.
Sheppard is undersized as an NBA shooting guard but possesses enough ball-handling skills that he could be used at the point in some scenarios. Physically, his measurements aren’t much different than those of Stephen Curry, another shooting star who uses his basket-making wizardry to atone for a lack of size and defensive shortcomings.
It would be foolish to otherwise compare Sheppard to Curry at this point. But if Sheppard can make shots at rate even approaching what he did in college, he can be an immediate asset to a shooting-poor team like the Spurs.
After all, a team that features Victor Wembanyama should have little difficulty generating open 3-point looks for other players. The Spurs just need more of them who can knock those shots down.
The main factor that might prevent the Spurs from landing Sheppard? He might not be there at No. 4.
The general consensus among draft analysts is that Houston is set to select Sheppard third overall – if the Rockets keep the pick.
There are rumblings Houston might be amenable to trading down in this year’s draft to take someone else, in which case the Spurs could have the option of trading up to choose Sheppard.
Likewise, another team could swap for the Rockets’ No. 3 and select another player there, leaving Sheppard available at No. 4.
If so, the Spurs could have quite a potential decision to make between Sheppard and, say, Connecticut’s Stephon Castle. If that is the case, Sheppard’s superior shooting ability might win the day.
If the Spurs are not able to land Sheppard, it is possible their search for shooting could continue later in the lottery.
Tennessee marksman Dalton Knect could be available at No. 8 and would also fill that glaring need on the Spurs’ roster.
FILE - Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) looks to pass the ball as he is defended by Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. Sheppard is considered to be among the top prospects in this month’s NBA draft.
Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella (13) reaches n to try to steal the ball from Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday, March 15, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) dribbles upcourt during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Tennessee, Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) shoots over Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard shoots against Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (12) while guard Dashawn Davis (10) waits for a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Starkville, Miss.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) shoots against Mississippi State forward D.J. Jeffries, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Starkville, Miss.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News