NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball standout
Ben Sheppard is among players being considered for selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Sheppard led Belmont to 98 victories and three conference championships during his decorated career, has emerged as one of the top prospects leading into this year's draft.
Belmont has several connections to the NBA, including recent NBA Champions and first-round selections:
- Ian Clark, 6-year NBA veteran (2017 NBA Champion, Golden State Warriors)
- Dylan Windler, 2019 NBA Draft (No. 26, Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Joe Gaines, 1972 NBA Draft (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Evan Bradds, Utah Jazz assistant coach
- Adam Barnes, New Orleans Pelicans director of college scouting
- Drew Hanlen, leading NBA skills development coach
- T.J. Saint, Birmingham Squadron head coach
Sheppard was one of only four players in college basketball this past season with at least 600 points, 150 rebounds, 75 assists, 75 3-point field goals while shooting at least 40 percent from 3-point distance (Brandin Podziemski, Souley Boum, Landers Nolley).
Sheppard was among the top performers at the 2023 NBA Combine in Chicago, posting the fastest shuttle-run time and scoring a game-high 25 points in his final scrimmage.
The Atlanta native, who was a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year award this past season, posted 29 double figure scoring games, including 12 games with 20 or more points.
The first player in the conference named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week three times this season, Sheppard was the only player this season named All-MVC First Team and MVC All-Defensive Team.
Named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team, Sheppard ranked among conference leaders in 16 statistical categories, including second in field goals made, third in total points and points per game and fourth in 3-point field goals made.
The Atlanta, Georgia native stood among select company in college basketball as players with at least 1,500 points, 450 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals.
A two-time first team all-conference and NABC All-District selection, Sheppard joined program legends Ian Clark and
Kerron Johnson to earn first team all-conference honors in consecutive seasons in two different conferences.
Sheppard 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.
Sheppard was also runner-up for the Larry Bird Trophy - given to the MVC Player of Year.
Among his notable performances, Sheppard scored a career-high 41 points at Tennessee Tech, a conference season-high 35 points at Murray State Feb. 1 and 33 points vs. Middle Tennessee Dec. 10.
He made the game-winning shot at Bradley Jan. 21, game-winning free throws vs. Indiana State Feb. 22, and scored eight points in 100-seconds to give Belmont the lead late against Indiana State in the MVC quarterfinal round.
The 2023 NBA Draft will be held Thursday, June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Ben Sheppard Profile
Height: 6-6
Weight: 195
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Career Stats: 1516 points, 485 rebounds, 225 assists, 202 3-point field goals, 126 steals
Senior Stats: 18.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.9 apg, .519 fg, .415 3fg
Belmont University men's basketball has been a postseason fixture the last two decades, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (Gonzaga, Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon) and 19 or game games in 18 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of existence
