Jordan Shepherd calls Oklahoma his home
Asheville, NC
After reaching massive highs during the 2015-2016 college basketball season, Oklahoma is attempting to regroup quickly in attempting to churn out another quality roster next winter. On Monday, the Sooners received a pledge and signature from one of the best lead guards still available within the 2016 class in Jordan Shepherd.
A one-time James Madison commit who backed away from his verbal following the departure of head coach Matt Brady in March, Shepherd was more of an under the radar type out of Asheville Christian in North Carolina. The 6-foot-2 guard brings a mature approach to the backcourt where he rarely ever gets rattled by ball pressure, to go along with shot making skills when placed off of the ball, improving athleticism at the basket, and the willingness to reach his basketball ceiling.
Taking an official visit that began on Sunday, Shepherd left Norman by putting ink to paper and signing his letter of intent, giving the Big 12 bunch another piece in the backcourt. “The coaches were awesome and the players were awesome, as well,” the Carolina native noted. “The facilities were great and they even plan to build more.”
While some won’t give much credence to the commitment of Shepherd, it is his constant improvement and willingness to play his part for any team that he is placed onto that should allow for the senior guard to fit in from day one. Lon Kruger has been known for his ability to find unknown, less heralded recruits and turn them into ballplayers that far surpass others that are rated more highly. Shepherd fits the mold perfectly where he didn’t get a ton of media hype or attention out of his region, yet continued to rework his game and polish his skillset to the best of his abilities.
The fourth commitment in the 2016 class for OU, the PSB Select product joins shot making wing Kameron McGusty in the backcourt, along with Kristian Doolittle and Matt Freeman, creating a quality group of hard-playing prospects that bring a mix of ball skills, upside, and immediate production to the Norman-based program this fall.
