5 players Spurs fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament

2. Kentucky's Reed Sheppard would look magnificent in Spurs backcourt

Reed Sheppard has been one of the best freshmen in recent memory, scorching nets en route to a truly historic season from beyond the arc. He's hitting 52.5 percent of his 4.4 attempts from 3-point range through 32 games. Like, what?

Detractors will point to Sheppard's limited volume and the easier nature of his attempts. Kentucky has placed more on Sheppard's plate in recent weeks, but he's not flying off screens and drilling off-balance shots. He's generally spotting up or pulling up. What has eased those concerns, however, is Sheppard's ramped-up effectiveness on the ball.

Looking more like a legitimate point guard than exclusively a connector, Sheppard has taken hold of the Wildcats' offensive reins. He's still coming off the bench for reasons we will never comprehend, but when he's on the floor, Sheppard is regularly getting downhill, probing the teeth of the defense, and creating for teammates. He has a projectable first step and enough burst to gain momentum toward the basket.

Sheppard will need to prove his mettle against NBA length at the rim, but his floater package and reliable pull-up jumper offsets that concern. He processes the game at a high level and, despite a limited 6-foot-3 frame, he's a consistently disruptive defender (2.5 steals). The Spurs would benefit a ton from Sheppard's 3-point marksmanship, defensive playmaking, and spurts of on-ball creation.