Ben Sheppard has already outperformed his draft slot after unimaginable first season for Indiana Pacers

Sheppard started during the Eastern Conference Finals

Dec 15, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) dribbles up the court during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Only three rookies reached 200 minutes played in the postseason this year. One was actually a 2023 draft pick in Chet Holmgren, who went second overall, and the other was a lottery pick in Dereck Lively II. Those two bigs were exceptional for their experience level.

The third rookie to climb over 200 playoff minutes actually reached 335 — it was Indiana Pacers wing Ben Sheppard. The off-ball guard was the 26th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and wasn't projected to play much this year. By the end of the campaign, he was an every night player for the blue and gold who was starting in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sheppard was a late riser in the pre-draft process last year. The four-year player out of Belmont was excellent at the NBA Draft combine scrimmages and proved to be an excellent shooter from deep. That made him a prospect worth using a first-round pick on.

The Pacers are certainly glad they did. The 22-year old was a strong defender, a capable shooter, and made very few mistakes in his first season. That made him a valuable rotation piece in his first season, and Indiana never looked back.

"I can't," Sheppard said when asked if he could have imagined being a rotation player for an Eastern Conference Finals team just one year ago. "It's been a lot of learning, growing, and staying ready. I think my rookie year has been a lot. Going from playing to starting in the Eastern Conference Finals. It's been a great year, A lot to be proud of. Excited for the future."

Early in the 2023-24 campaign, Sheppard didn't play much. He only hit 10 minutes of action four times in the first 39 games of the season and spent some time in the G League. But injuries and trades gave him a chance to have a role, and he took advantage.

Myles Turner, the blue and gold's longest-tenured veteran, was sitting next to Sheppard while the rookie guard fielded questions for his end-of-season exit interview. He ended up answering some of the questions that Sheppard was asked, chiming in to provide context and praise his younger teammate.

"He's going to be modest. He's a legend," Turner said of Sheppard. "Ain't no rookie starting in the Eastern Conference Finals. That's unheard of."

Sheppard's regular season stats tell the story of his season poorly since he had so many garbage time appearances. In the postseason, he averaged 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while knocking down 43.7% of his shots. He was a solid outside shooter and even better defender.

He was asked to guard star players and was bullied into taking shots by his teammates. It all clicked, and Sheppard became an impact player during his first season. He only played for under 10 minutes of action six times in the Pacers final 43 outings.

Players who are picked 26th overall aren't expected to contribute right away. Often, they don't amount to much at all. But Sheppard already has proven that he can be an important piece for the Pacers going forward, and it all came together after a slow buildup during the season.

"I'm not sure there's a moment, but I'd just say when I get called off the bench for a few minutes to guard a star player in the NBA," Sheppard said of what he realized he belonged in the association. "Just building that confidence on the defensive end made me realize that I can really guard and I can really play in this league. There's not a specific moment, but a lot of moments throughout the year."

Turner, as he did, chimed in just after Sheppard finished speaking. "I saw it early, man. I saw it in pickup," he said of the rookie guard's skills. "WHen we first got here, just watching the way he moved. The way he was able to navigate screens. Knock down shooter. He was ready."

No rookie made more threes in the postseason than Ben Sheppard, a player that wasn't even sure where he would be drafted one year ago today. Indiana found a contributor late in the first round, and Sheppard should be a useful piece for the foreseeable future.

---

• Source: Indiana Pacers and Pascal Siakam agree to terms on four-year max contract. CLICK HERE.
• Tyrese Haliburton running full speed again, ready for Team USA Olympics commitment. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers 2024 NBA free agency rumor tracker. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers 2024 NBA Draft rumor tracker. CLICK HERE.
• Follow AllPacers on Facebook: All Pacers SI
• Follow AllPacers on Twitter: @SIPacers