ATLANTA — Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard was named the 2023-24 National Freshman of the Year Tuesday, as voted on by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). 

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard was named the 2023-24 National Freshman of the Year

  • The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) votes on the award

  • A native of London, Ky., the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 12.5 points per game while hitting double-digits in 21 games

  • The United States Basketball Writers Association also named Sheppard the nation's top freshman

He is Kentucky's first winner to claim the honor since its inception in 2016-17. A native of London, Ky., the United States Basketball Writers Association also named Sheppard the nation's top freshman. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 12.5 points per game while hitting double-digits in 21 games.

Sheppard also led the Wildcats with 148 assists on the season, ranking as the eighth-most in single-season history by a Wildcat. In addition, he finished with 82 steals, the second-most by a player in program history, trailing just Rajon Rondo. Rondo's 2.559 per-game average is No. 1 in program history. 

UK Athletics said Sheppard is the country's lone player to have recorded at least 80 steals, 145 assists and 70 3-pointers through March 24. 

In a 91-89 win on Feb. 27, at Mississippi State, Sheppard scored a career-high 32 points while adding five rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals, including 23 points after halftime and 11 in the game's final 93 seconds. He followed that up with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists in an 85-81 upset win March 9, at Tennessee. 

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