Reed Sheppard earns SEC honor; on pace to break Kentucky Basketball steals

A special season continues for the Bluegrass star.

• By
  
  Jason Marcum
  
• on December 26, 2023 2:18 pm

Another week, another honor for Kentucky Wildcats rising star Reed Sheppard.

This week, Reed was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance in the Wildcats’ 95-76 road victory over the Louisville Cardinals.

In that game, the 6-foot-3, 187-pound guard from London had the first double-double of his career with 11 points and 11 assists. The 11 assists are the most ever for a Wildcat against Louisville.

Sheppard also grabbed two steals, extending his streak of at least two steals in every game this season.

Adding to that, Sheppard currently leads the SEC in steals at 31 in just 11 games, an average of 2.8 thefts per contest. If he keeps this pace up, he could break Kentucky’s all-time single-season steals record, currently held by Rajon Rondo, who had 87 during the 2004-05 season across 34 games. Sheppard’s current pace would put him at 94 steals in 34 games.

Other names on Kentucky’s all-time steals list include Wayne Turner at No. 2 with 79 steals, Rodrick Rhodes at No. 3 with 76, Cliff Hawkins at No. 4 with 74, and Kyle Macy at No. 5 with 69.

So long as Sheppard stays healthy, he should at least finish in the top five. And if Kentucky makes a deep run in the SEC and NCAA Tournament, he has a good shot at breaking the record.

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