As Ben Sheppard completed his pre-draft workout circuit last summer, his audition with the Indiana Pacers stood out greatly from the rest of his meetings.
During post-practice interviews, Sheppard said he felt a “family feeling” with the Blue & Gold, describing his first visit to Circle City as infused with “positive energy.”
“I knew during my training with Indiana that this was an organization I would love to play for,” Sheppard said a packed St. Vincent Center in June after the Pacers picked him with the 26th overall pick.
Since joining the Pacers, Sheppard has often embodied the qualities that attracted him to the franchise.
The Belmont University wing has become an important part of the Pacers’ team — a spark plug off the bench whose defensive tenacity and 3-point accuracy can change the course of games. In addition to his skills on the field, Sheppard has become a favorite in the locker room thanks to his infectious personality and drive to succeed.
Before reaching the NBA, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound Sheppard made a name for himself at Belmont as an efficient scorer with advanced defensive skills.
Although his tape impressed, the Atlanta native, now 22, improved his draft stock with a strong performance at the NBA Draft Combine – turning the heads of executives and coaches across the league.
It took a while for Sheppard to get meaningful minutes with the Pacers, but he embraced the process and continued to hone his skills every chance he got.
Early in his rookie season, outside of training with the Blue & Gold, Sheppard spent a lot of time with the G League Indiana Mad Ants. In 10 games played for the Mad Ants, he averaged 18.3 points on 43.5 percent shooting (37.1 percent from 3-point range), 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
Between his performance in the G League and his steady improvements on both ends of the court in practice, it didn’t take the Pacers too long to keep Sheppard on their NBA bench. He has now taken the floor in 37 games and has seen his role increase significantly in the second half of the season.
During the 2023 portion of the schedule, Sheppard has only played in 13 games for the Pacers. In four of those games, he logged just one minute of action before the final buzzer.
However, after the start of the calendar year, the Pacers allocated more minutes to Sheppard thanks to his improvements, as well as the impact of injuries and trades on the rest of the team.
Sheppard played in 13 games in January and 11 in February for the Pacers, steadily increasing his workload to 14.5 minutes per game.
A big turning point for Sheppard came in a Valentine’s Day game against the Toronto Raptors. In the February 14 game, Pacers starting forward Aaron Nesmith suffered an ankle injury early on. by Sheppard the number was calledand he played 21 minutes and scored 10 points while grabbing five rebounds.
But more importantly, Sheppard showed off his defensive footwork when he made the decisive save during a one-on-one match with RJ Barrett for several seconds at the end to seal the victory.
With Nesmith out for an extended period of time and Doug McDermott out with a calf injury, Sheppard continued to see improved minutes and answered the call.
Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton said Sheppard has been “a fly on the wall at all times” this season, and you can see him improving in real time.
“…It’s good to see him hitting his stride right now,” Haliburton said of Sheppard. “He’s becoming a good rotation piece for us. When he was drafted, I don’t think many people really knew him, but he did a great job listening, paying attention and asking a ton of questions. And he’s just a good guy. He’s a great guy to be around and I’m glad he’s a part of our team.
Against the Dallas Mavericks February 25 — a game where he at times guarded stars like Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic — Sheppard hit all five of his 3-pointers for a career-high 15 points.
“Three and D – this prototype is a very sought-after type player,” Sheppard said. “I’m trying to get to that point. Showing my defense and 3-point ability is really effective for the team.
After the victory, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Sheppard remained committed to improving his game and wasn’t afraid to play in big moments when asked – a tough ask for any recruit.
“For a young guy, he’s a really good system player and he stays in the process,” Carlisle said. “He’s not phased at the moment.” If it’s a good shot, he takes it, and if not, he keeps it moving. Defensively, he does a good job with his length and with his feet. He managed to avoid mistakes quite well for a rookie. We need him.
After Sheppard scored 11 points in a win against New Orleanswhere he occasionally took defensive assignments against Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, Carlisle continued to praise Sheppard’s development.
“Ben Sheppard is a constant,” Carlisle said. “You know what you’re going to get. You’re going to get a lot of energy, a lot of effort, play within the system, throw open shots and make unselfish plays. This is why we love him and why his teammates love playing with him.
TJ McConnell – who often acts as the spark on the Pacers’ bench with his hustle plays – also praised Sheppard’s ability to lift the team with his effort.
In interviews, Sheppard has said that he doesn’t try to get too high or too low night after night and wants to continue to help the team in any way he can. He sees himself as someone who needs to provide energy at all times, whether he is on the bench or on the court.
“I would definitely describe this team as a serious team,” Sheppard said. “Coach always talks about playing hard and what that means to this organization. Every time we go out on the court, we just have to play hard, play for each other and just play Pacer basketball.
