Coach Speak: Reed Sheppard

If Reed Sheppard never played another moment of basketball he would go down as a historic figure in the state of Kentucky. Sheppard is the epitome of a schoolboy legend in one of those rare states where hoops is king, and is right there in the conversation with religion and politics.

The five-star guard is a top-25 prospect in his class, and is one of those rare talents who has already amassed over 3,000 points and 1,000 assists in his storied career with well over two dozen contests still in front of him.

Coming from the lineage of Kentucky Wildcat royalty, Sheppard had the eyes of the state on on him from day one. He has lived up to that early hype and more.

One constant the past few years has been Nate Valentine his head coach at North Laurel. He was named to the position the same year Sheppard was coming in as a freshman. Valentine is just over 100 games in and has a record of 80-21 including a 5-2 record this season.

During that time North Laurel has seen itself on a huge stage nationally that most local small town public schools can only dream about thanks to a star like Sheppard. The Jaguars played in the marquee event last Sunday in Freedom Hall against Imhotep Charter out of Philadelphia.

When Coach Valentine spoke with Cats Illustrated Wednesday night his team was on its way to the airport for a flight to Fort Meyers, Florida and the prestigious Isle of Palms Classic which is proof enough of Sheppard's importance in the grassroots world.

CI: You coach at a local public school in a regular small town. It's not some big national basketball factory. But North Laurel has gotten so much attention the last couple of years. You just played in Freedom Hall, and now you're headed to one of the biggest tournaments in the country. What has the experience been like for London and for North Laurel High School?

Valentine: "It's been awesome. I think that's what makes North Laurel such a special place. The community has really embraced this team. We've just got a bunch of guys from London, Kentucky. We don't have guys from all over the country like some of the other teams that we're playing, and are going to play. We get unbelievable community support. We sell out about every home game now. Financially they take care of us. People are lining up to help and be a part of this team, but a lot of it has to do with the type of guys that we have. We've got really, really good guys. You've got a guy like Reed Sheppard who obviously gets a ton of attention. Those guys are great with the kids in our local community. When we bring out Junior Jacks in our guys are great with them. We just really try to get out and be a part of our community, and they support us back. It's been really special to share with everybody else for the last couple of years."

CI: Even before Reed Sheppard came along how basketball crazy was the town of London, Kentucky? Describe it to us.

Valentine: "It's small town U.S.A. It was Laurel County up until 1991. Then the new schools split. Just to be honest, South Laurel probably got the best part out of that split for a long time. They had a great run. I actually played there, and was a part of it. I think they had six out of eight regional titles, and that State Championship in '05. North Laurel was just hungry to create their own history and winning tradition. They've gotten close in the past. We're just trying to get over the hump now. When North and South play it is standing room only. Nobody else can get into the gym. We pack it out. It doesn't matter what the records are, or any of that. It's just a great environment. It's a basketball town. We have a tremendous youth program. Our elementary schools all have fourth and fifth grade teams, and when they play in that tournament they sell the high school gym out. It's a basketball crazy town, and they love high school sports, and they love UK sports."

CI: Reed has had all eyes on him since day one in a basketball crazy town and state. He is the biggest high school athlete in the state, and has been for several years. How has he handled all of that?

Valentine: "I think I would be lying if I said it was all easy. He's definitely gone through some struggles with it. We started two years ago during the COVID season 19-0. Pat Forde called and said he wanted to come down and do an article on out team and on Reed, and put it in Sports Illustrated. That was the cover story and the article. We went from thinking we could have a pretty good high school season, and flying under the radar to being on a national scale. Obviously, with the season we had, and the season Reed had, and the attention he got it just snow balled more and more. So every place we go and they see Laurel County on the bus they want to know it it is North Laurel, and secondly they want to know if Reed Sheppard is on the bus. He's got a following no matter where we go, and I say again it's because he's the kid that he is, and how he handles it. He's really, really humble, and does a great job. It's even hard for me. I try to help him all that I can. There are times I tell him not to listen to social media with the good and the bad. Until you walk in his shoes you have no idea of the DM's he gets on his different social media accounts. For every person that loves him and thinks he is great there are others who think he doesn't deserve the attention that he gets. He's done a really good job of just trying to keep working hard, keep having fun, and keeping his eye on the prize. His parents have done a tremendous job of that as well, and guiding him through the process.

CI: You and Reed came in together at North Laurel.

Valentine: "My first year was Reed's freshman year. I was at Lexington Christian Academy, and had some really good teams, and had some success there. We won a State Championship, and went to the region finals, and had some really good players. The job came open at North Laurel, and it was an opportunity for me to get back home to London. My family is here, and my wife is from from here, and her family lives here. That was the best part of it, but the second was looking and seeing you've got a Reed Sheppard coming up. His first cousin is Ryan Davidson. Reed's mom and Ryan's mom are sisters. So I knew those two kids were coming up, and that they were going to have a tremendous career. With the passion for basketball here in London it was just kind of a perfect fit I felt like. When I was at LCA I had five players sign to play Division I basketball. The first time I saw Reed here at North Laurel as a freshman I told somebody that's the best offensive basketball players I've ever coached. That wasn't based on potential, but based on now. So you really knew you had something special, and it was just a matter of time before he turned into what he is."

CI: So how would you describe him as a player now?

Valentine: "He's unbelievable. He does so many things to help his team win. We play a lot of teams that will put three, four, five guys on him. Guys that have a lot more depth and athleticism. He just goes out and makes his team better. The thing he does best is pass the ball, he shares the ball, and he's unselfish. He scores. I believe for his career he's averaging like 24 points per game, and he averaged 30 last year. But he just does that really to help us win games. When he gets to Kentucky and he has all of those other McDonald's All-Americans around him he can create for others. I think that's when you're really going to see his game flourish. He's got the quick twitch that a lot of guys don't have. He's super-athletic for his size. He just makes the right read on every pass, and he can get it there. You have a lot of guys who see it, but can't get the pass there. But he's just got a knack for getting it there. He finishes everything at the rim. He spent a ton of time on his jump shot this summer, and he's really gotten consistent with it. He's just a complete player on both sides of the ball."

CI: Every box score I see he's got 10 rebounds, 10 assists, a couple of steals, and he's got over 1,000 career assists now. Those are the things that stick out to me.

Valentine: "Yeah, last week he went over 1,000 assists for his career. You've got to think that's pretty incredible, because he's scored over 3,000. That's what people say. They look at his box score and say, "Man, Reed accounted for every basket but two. Most of the time it is. He either scores or gets the assist. That's how we're built. We try to keep the ball in his hands, and get the other guys moving, and let him make plays. That's what he does best. He's so unselfish. He would rather throw it to another guy for a three than he would go in and score two by himself."

CI: Talk more about how he'll fit in when he gets to Kentucky.

Valentine: "I think he's going to have a terrific career at Kentucky right away. We played Justin Edwards the other night, and I don't know that I've seen a better high school kid than Justin Edwards. When Reed gets those guys around him with D.J. and Rob coming in he's going to have a lot of weapons around him. Other teams aren't going to be keying just around him. That's going to free him up. He can be a knock down shooter, but I also think he can run the point some if they need to. He's just so good with the ball in his hands. I think he's really going to have a great career there at Kentucky."

CI: People know all about his skill, but exactly how athletic is he?

Valentine: "He can dunk it any way you want him to dunk it. I can't remember anybody in four years who has challenged him and blocked him at the rim. When he wants to get to the rim he doesn't run over guys. He's got great body control, and he knows how to finish. He's got a floater with both hands. He can float it up over guys. He's got a hook shot with his right or left hand. He's played against the best in the country all summer long every summer that he's been in high school. We've obviously tried to play him against the best in the country, and the best in the state night in and night out. So his athleticism won't be an issue."

CI: What's it like coaching with a guy like Jeff Sheppard watching every night? Does that provide any pressure?

Valentine: "Jeff and Stacey also played at Kentucky, and was the all-time steals leader, and assists leader I believe as well. Stacey was Miss Basketball, and Jeff was MVP of the Final Four when they won the National Championship. You've got two really great basketball minds, but they've been incredible basketball parents since I've been there. They've been nothing but supportive. They've been great. Stacey actually keeps the book, so she's right over there during the games. They've been really good, and early on trusted me to coach Reed, and kind of taken a back seat. But when I need something or want to bounce a basketball idea, or whatever it is they've been great. They give me their thoughts as well. They've been super, super supportive of me, and like I said I just really appreciate how they've handled Reed. They are probably his toughest critics at the end of the day. They encourage him and want him to do well, but they also make sure that he remains humble and continues to work hard. He never gets too high or too low, so it's really been a great relationship."