It was only a matter of time.
After seeing 2023 guard Reed Sheppard for the first time ever a few months ago in Fort Wayne (IN), I immediately expected him to be a kid whom Ohio State will recruit heavily.
While I expected the Buckeyes to offer him during June when they extended offers to a handful of other 2023 guards, Chris Holtmann and his staff waited until the live period to do so as they made their move on Monday night.
A native of London (KY), Sheppard attends North Laurel High School and plays up an age for the Adidas 3SSB sponsored Midwest Basketball Club's 17u squad alongside fellow Buckeyes target Gabe Cupps.
After averaging upwards of 30 points per game during the high school season, Sheppard continued to open eyes during the spring AAU season and has racked in a ton of offers over the last several months.
Following a big weekend for Midwest Basketball Club on the Adidas circuit last weekend, not only did Sheppard land an offer from Ohio State, but he also picked one up from John Calipari and the staff at Kentucky.
While there is really no way to truly tell, I would assume this is the offer the rising junior has been waiting on. Both of Sheppard's parents, Jeff and Stacey Sheppard, were standouts on the hardwood for the Wildcats during their time in college and it would only make sense that this will play some type of role in Reed's recruitment.
However, with the live period just getting started, I don't expect a commitment from the youngest Sheppard any time soon.
I am glad to see the standout guard, who is ranked No.39 in the 2023 Rivals150, finally pick up an offer from the Buckeyes. Sheppard is one of, if not the best player I have seen all spring as his blend of skill and understanding of the game is very rare for a prospect at such a young age.
While he has major ties to Kentucky, Ohio State is certainly going to be a major player here. Not only does he live within a four hour drive of Columbus, Sheppard is also very close with Cupps, who I think will strongly consider the Buckeyes in his recruitment.
The two have been nearly unbeatable this summer for Midwest Basketball Club, forming an excellent backcourt tandem that has taken down big name 2023 guards such as Mikey Williams and LeBron James Jr. in impressive wins over We All Can Go 3SSB and Strive For Greatness EYBL.
For those interested in Sheppard's game, take a look at some highlights below.
