Ben Sheppard #26 of the Indiana Pacers reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Consistent. Energetic. Reliable.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has been steadfast in commending Ben Sheppard over the last couple of seasons with those words. From the moment he was drafted, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound swingman became a staple for the organization in short order.
It may not have been obvious to those on the outside looking in, but Sheppard’s work behind the scenes and during the early part of the 2023-24 season as a rookie primed him for NBA action if the team needed somebody to go to. When his number was called, he stepped up.
“He was well-prepared in the playoffs when the opportunity came,” Carlisle said to RG last October in a preseason press conference in Cleveland. “Really, the opportunity came when [Bennedict] Mathurin got hurt. It was late February, early March. And then, he was pretty much a part of the rotation from then on.”
Playing just under 20 minutes a night during said stretch, Sheppard put his defensive prowess on display while doing the little things on offense. He didn’t back down from any matchup, served as a catalyst who ran the floor hard, played fast and simply competed on a nightly basis.
Assuming that role, Sheppard rewarded Indiana’s trust with quality performances in the postseason. He didn’t try to do too much, taking care of the basketball and producing when he got his touches, knocking down 38% of his three triple tries per game.
Facing the eventual champion Boston Celtics, he even drew starts for the Pacers in Game 3 and Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Following that kind of showing, Sheppard would obviously be a big part of the picture.
Carrying The Momentum Into Year 2
RG asked Carlisle before the 2024-25 campaign whether or not Sheppard’s experience earned him a permanent spot in Indiana’s rotation.
“Everything's on the table,” Carlisle said. “We've got a roster full of young guys that can play. I know one thing for sure – when an opportunity arises, he will be ready because that's who he is.”
Though it took a few games for him to get the playing time he grew accustomed to at the onset of the season, Sheppard scored a career-high 20 points in New Orleans on 6-for-11 from long range in a career-long 33 minutes of action on Nov. 1.
Sheppard was a fixture of the Pacers’ second unit for the next two weeks until he suffered an injury vs. the Miami Heat.
“I think it was an illegal screen, getting around an illegal screen,” Sheppard told RG in an exclusive interview Sunday in Cleveland.
What was initially thought to be a minor setback turned out to be a strained left oblique, and Sheppard was in a great deal of pain.
“It's on your side kinda like below your ribs, but it can spread,” Sheppard said. “Your oblique is very big and spread out too. That was the first time I've ever heard of it when it happened to me. Obviously, two players on the Magic, Paolo [Banchero] and Franz [Wagner], got it. I've never seen it before or heard of it before, but when it happened to me, I was like, this is pretty serious.”
Unlike Orlando’s stars, however, Sheppard’s case wasn’t as severe. He was able to come back within a month’s time.
The second-year wing was reinserted into the mix on Dec. 19 in a win at Phoenix, where he was a plus-11 in 16 minutes. The very next game, Sheppard went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, nailing four treys for 14 points in a decisive road victory at Sacramento.
“He’s just a very consistent, reliable system player that knows his job, embraces his job and loves being a part of the team,” Carlisle said succinctly after the win over the Kings.
Back On The Court
It’s now Jan. 14, and Sheppard has been back on the floor with his teammates for almost four weeks.
“I feel good,” Sheppard said. “It's a tough injury to deal with because I had fractured ribs too. But you can't really do anything. You've just got to let it rest. You can't rehab it or anything. But I feel 100 percent right now. I'm just glad I'm back.”
“The big thing with him was him getting healthy,” Carlisle said, revisiting the conversation with RG in a pregame press conference this past Sunday in Cleveland. “It took longer than we had hoped. These oblique injuries – Orlando had two 'em, we had one, I may have heard of another one – they're popping up this year. They take some time.”
Sheppard’s latest performance may have been his most impressive of the season yet. Forget box scores and sexy stats. He made life difficult for the NBA’s top offensive team on its own home floor.
With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the second half with left hamstring tightness, Carlisle called upon Sheppard to fill in with the Pacers trailing by 13 points at the break. Pointedly and aggressively, the 23-year-old stayed attached to Caris LeVert, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.
Whether it was ball denial or forcing give-ups, all of the Cavs’ ball-handlers he picked up didn’t have the room they were accustomed to initiating with. Sheppard hounded them when Indiana pressed 94 feet and chased them around in the half-court. It was a praiseworthy effort as the Pacers stunned Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with a 108-93 triumph over the East’s top dog.
It was the team’s sixth straight victory and its 12th win in the last 15 games. According to Cleaning The Glass, Indiana has had the second-best defensive rating in the NBA since the turn of the new year, allowing just 106.1 points per 100 possessions.
“I'd just say we're playing way more together,” Sheppard told RG before the impressive win.
“Those first couple stretches at the beginning of the season, we were still figuring each other out. Obviously, last season we had success, but that doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's a different year.
“We had struggles early on, but we're kinda getting into that groove, and we're finding ways to keep getting better and better each game, as each game progresses. It's been fun. We're growing each game and we can all see that. I think we've made great strides on the defensive end.”
This is hardly the first time Sheppard has been called upon to lock up opponents. Per NBA.com’s matchup data, he’s limited some of the top players in the league. Here is a look at who had the most success against in significant time:
- Tyler Herro in three games – 11:38
5-for-12 from the field with three assists and two turnovers forced - Derrick White in three games – 8:57
2-for-4 from the field with one assist - Franz Wagner in three games – 6:29
1-for-4 from the field with three assists - LaMelo Ball in one game – 5:57
2-for-4 from the field with three assists - Jalen Suggs in three games – 4:59
1-for-3 from the field with one assist and one turnover forced - Devin Booker in two games – 3:13
2-for-4 from the field with two assists and one turnover forced
A True Team Player
Sheppard isn’t going to have glossy stat sheets in the early portion of his career. He’s going to do the dirty work and whatever it takes to help win ball games, which is why the Pacers have grown fond of him as quickly as they have.
“I'd say TJ [McConnell] and James Johnson showing me the ropes,” Sheppard told RG of who’s helped him the most in his first two years. “Those are my vets, and I look up to 'em on and off the court.”
Going from being the man in college who was lighting up the mid-majors to assuming different responsibilities as a pro, Sheppard is having no problem adjusting to the next level.
Continued growth, development and maturation are in his future, which is looking quite bright in Indiana.
“I feel like at Belmont, I went through the same thing, kinda the same progression, just going from someone who didn't play into someone who's a role player,” Sheppard said. “I think I'm good at doing what's asked of me and playing my role. It's been good. Playing basketball for a living is pretty cool, so at the end of the day, you've just got to be grateful for your opportunities and make the most of 'em.
“I don't know if I have a specific goal, but just make big strides each year I'm in the league. Just keep progressing.”
Spencer Davies
