INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was speaking to reporters after the first official day of practice for his team in 2024-25 when he was asked a simple question: have any of your teammates stood out so far during minicamp and training camp?

With less than a second required to think, Haliburton replied. “Ben Sheppard has been ballin’,” he began. “Ben Sheppard has looked really good. I think he just looks more comfortable in his skin, more comfortable as an NBA player. I told him, ‘I don’t know what you did this summer, but keep doing that’.”

Sheppard, a second-year wing, was a late first-round pick in 2023. He steadily rose through the ranks with Indiana last year, starting the season as a deep bench player with most of his playing time coming in the G League. He then became a depth piece after Bruce Brown was traded away, then moved up the rotation ladder again after Buddy Hield was dealt. By the All-Star break, he was playing basically every night. When his teammate Bennedict Mathurin went down with a season-ending shoulder injury in March, Sheppard became a mainstay in the rotation, averaging over 19 minutes per game the rest of the regular season.

Even as a first-year player, he was relied on in the postseason. He played in all 17 of Indiana’s playoff games, including two starts during the Eastern Conference Finals. He knocked down 38% of his threes on that stage while taking nearly three per outing, and he hustled on defense. It’s rare that a rookie can be trusted in a postseason rotation, but Sheppard proved that he should play.

“He’s a very reliable player. Always goes hard, always does his job. [He] takes the right shots. Probably passes up shots he should take,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Sheppard. “[He] takes defense as seriously as offense. He’s very mature, and he’s always ready.”

Last year, Sheppard was so laser focused on making the right play and not making mistakes that he would pass up open shots. He tried to keep the ball, and himself, moving — a noble cause. But his teammates wanted him to let it fly. They bullied him into shooting more, and it paid off. In his first 28 games, he made 28.1% of his threes. That number grew to 33.3% in his final 29 outings.

Sheppard wants to build his game out from his first-year success. The confidence he is showing early in training camp is tangible, and he’s playing well enough that his teammates have noticed. He’s also grown on the court and feels more comfortable every day.

“I’d just say I have a bigger grasp of things,” Sheppard says of how he feels in year two. “Coming here last year, there’s a lot of intake and just learning the ropes of the NBA game. I feel more comfortable this year.”

Last year, Sheppard averaged 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. The Pacers net rating and defensive rating were both better with Sheppard on the court than off of it. Even with typical per game numbers, his impact could be felt thanks to his low-mistake style.

This year, he hopes to improve upon that start to his career. Sheppard studied one of his teammates, Aaron Nesmith, to look at a key area where he thinks he can grow: attacking closeouts.

“I watched his tape this summer, just how aggressive he attacks closeouts and stuff like that,” Sheppard said of Nesmith. The game slowed down a ton for Nesmith last season. “Everyone’s attacking closeouts in the NBA, that’s just how the game is today.”

That study wasn’t just limited to Nesmith. Other Pacers players are effective at driving past wimpy closeouts and making plays. It’s an important trend in the NBA, and Sheppard noted that he looked at what Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, and Tyrese Haliburton were doing in those situations. Nesmith, by being a wing who saw the game slow down last season, is perhaps the best comparison for Sheppard as a player, though. That deep dive is more meaningful.

The Belmont product has been ascending ever since a strong NBA Draft combine last summer. He popped on both ends during his pre-draft workout for the Pacers, and he’s been reliable ever since. The hope in season two is for more success.

“It’s just being more aggressive and making the right play,” Sheppard said of his growth. “I think I’m one of those players that plays within our offense and is able to get people into things by making the right play,”

Despite all of these notes, Sheppard’s spot in the rotation isn’t currently clear. He could be the backup two, or even the backup three. He might be on the outside looking in. Shooting and defense are immensely valuable skills, but different types of lineups have been operating as the second unit during training camp so far. Yet if Sheppard is an improved player, he should get playing time.

“I like Shepp,” guard Andrew Nembhard said of Sheppard on Sunday. “Shepp’s been hoopin’.”

Much of the focus on Indiana’s future is concentrated on their recent lottery picks. Sheppard’s future is similarly intriguing, though, and he’s ready for his second season with the Pacers.