April was a big month for 6’2” 2016 point guard Jordan Shepherd. It was through his play then that he went from 4 offers to 12 offers. It was then that the Southeast region started to see Shepherd as one of the premier point guards around.
We have seen Shepherd a lot over the past couple of years. Asheville Christian has been a regular both years of the Phenom High School Jamboree. He has also attended multiple NC Phenom 150 camps and is an alum of the NC Top 80.
It was during the Phenom Hoops Jamboree, in early November last year, which saw Shepherd pick up his first offer. On the spot, Middle Tennessee State (Conference USA) saw him and offered him. Also, in that event Elon (CAA), Appalachian State (Sun Belt), and Winthrop (Big South) first saw him and subsequently offered.
Some buzz began to float around about Shepherd, but then he went back to Asheville to play school ball. And he exploded from there. He was Conference Player of the Year and named to the NCISAA 2A All-State team while he averaged 23.4 Points, 5.3 Boards, and 4.5 Assists per game.
In a write up about Shepherd over the past year we wrote, “Shepherd’s natural attributes are very unique for his position. For starters, Shepherd carries a set of lengthy arms on his 6’2” frame. From the point guard position, Shepherd is very explosive routinely able to put down dunks in traffic and finishing high above the rim in transition. He also carries a set of broad shoulders and slender hips, which lead you to believe that good weight will come once he really starts to concentrate on weights and growth.”
As we mentioned above, Shepherd currently carries over thirteen offers, “Throughout July I picked up Miami (OH) and Tennessee Tech.” With his thirteen offers he is ready to start narrowing down his list and knows who is sticking out more than others, “I would say Furman, Boston, Wofford, Middle Tennessee State, and Ohio are coming at me the hardest. I am going to start taking my visits in September.”
Though he hasn’t set any visits yet, Shepherd has an idea for what he is looking for in a school at the next level, “I will look closely at the campus and the league. Furman and Wofford both stood out because of housing and cafeterias as well as how beautiful it was outside. I am also attracted to the Conference USA and Mid-American conferences. Mainly I want to find a school that is going to keep the ball bouncing for me the longest.”
As we mentioned above, Shepherd has been to a lot of Phenom events, he speaks highly of the notoriety it has brought him, “Phenom Hoops has definitely helped a lot. They put me in front of the right people, wrote about me, and provided a stage for everyone out there to see me.”
The uniqueness comes in the way Shepherd understands the game. Despite his 38” vertical and 6’8” wing span, Shepherd’s pace of play is what sets him apart. He is great in the pick and roll, as he lets the play develop fully then routinely makes the proper read. He is the type of player that if you watch him 5 different games, you will notice something different each game that sets him apart.