Reed Sheppard Says ‘Arm Trick’ Helped Him Get Top Vertical Jump at NBA Draft Combine

NBA draft prospect Reed Sheppard surprised even himself when he recorded the highest vertical leap at the combine.

The Kentucky product notched a 42″ vertical leap, which ended up tying for the best among all prospects at the combine. On Podcast P with Paul George, Sheppard explained that he used an “arm trick” to increase his vertical.

“I know I can jump, I didn’t know I was going to have the highest vertical in the NBA draft,” Sheppard said. “I got to give a lot of credit to my guy Ryan at Proactive [Sports Performance]. He kind of helped us out with a little arm trick. I was able to get a couple more inches. I looked up at the board and when I saw 42 I kind of laughed because I wasn’t expecting it and I know no one else was.”

Whether Sheppard truly has the most bounce among NBA prospects is up for debate, but his numbers look the best on paper and it could help his draft stock.

In his sole season at Kentucky, Sheppard recorded 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, primarily coming off the bench. A few standout performances proved that Sheppard could be one of the best prospects in the draft, like a 32-point outing against Mississippi State.

While Sheppard’s athleticism caught the attention of scouts and fans at the combine, it’s his shooting that has helped him emerge as a potential lottery pick. He shot 52.1 percent from deep for the Wildcats last season.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects Sheppard to be the No. 6 pick in the draft, landing with the Charlotte Hornets.