In a bombshell report, the Hawks had Reed Sheppard, who Atlanta saw as a “Patrick Mahomes” type of prospect, as the second prospect on their big board behind Zaccharie Risacher.
Listen to this… The Atlanta Hawks viewed Reed Sheppard as a “Patrick Mahomes” type of prospect but had him 2nd on their board.
They ended up going with Risacher. pic.twitter.com/iKNgVdFXxA
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) July 15, 2024
The Hawks and Zaccharie Risacher are two games into the Summer League, and the results have been good overall, but Reed Sheppard has been nothing but sensational.
The No. 3 pick scored 23 points against the Lakers on Friday. The Rockets top pick then followed that performance up with 22 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 steals against Alex Sarr and the Wizards on Sunday.
For the entire offseason, the debate for the Hawks and the No. 1 overall pick centered around Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, and Donovan Clingan at certain points. Never was Reed Sheppard a serious consideration among draft pundits.
I can’t speak to the validity of this report, but I viewed the Kentucky product as a legitimate candidate for the Hawks top pick.
During his freshman campaign, he averaged 12.5 points through 33 games on 53.6% shooting from the field and an eye-popping 52.1% from beyond the arc. What’s especially jarring about this report, if it’s true, is that the Hawks passed on a prospect that they viewed in the same light as Patrick Mahomes.
Risacher has flashed the kind of skill set that the club wants to surround Trae Young with, but I actually thought Sheppard could’ve been a good complement to the Hawks star point guard too. He’s not big, but he’s a tenacious defender that can thrive off the ball. On-ball defense and off-ball offense are a perfect complement for Young.
Not only will Risacher’s career be compared to Alex Sarr now, but it will also be compared to Sheppard’s if this report is true. Hopefully, the Hawks got this one right.
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Photographer: David Jensen/Icon Sportswire
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