Kentucky Wildcats star Reed Sheppard and his girlfriend Brailey Dizney

Former Kentucky Wildcats star Reed Sheppard won’t be returning to the program for an extra year next season. Instead, he will be taking his girlfriend, Brailey Dizney, with him to the NBA after declaring for the draft a week ago.

In a recent Instagram post of his longtime girlfriend Dizney in the Florida Keys, Sheppard gushed over her stunning blue outfit, commenting:

“Beautiful girly,” Reed Sheppard commented.

Brailey’s IG comments

Brailey Dizney and Reed Sheppard have been in a relationship for three years since high school, when she attended South Laurel High School and he attended North Laurel High School.

Reed Sheppard highly valued as an NBA pro

The Kentucky fans regarded him as a hometown hero and wanted him to stay and new Wildcats coach Mark Pope wooed him from day one in an attempt to have him return but Reed Sheppard was always going to leave.

Krysten Peek, the Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst, recently revealed that Sheppard was always destined for the pros and nothing could sway him away from that dream.

“Anybody who thought he would come back because of NIL money needs to realize his dream has always been the NBA,” she said. “Maybe a singular NIL deal could be for a couple of million dollars but he’s jeopardizing more money in the NBA and adding another year before he can get a second contract if he stays in school.

“It was just being delusional to think he would be back or even transfer to Arkansas (to play for John Calipari).”

The class of 2024 has been looked at as one of the weakest draft classes in recent years by both fans and analysts alike. There is a chance for some players to land in lottery pick positions as opposed to last year.

Former Wildcats players whose skills have translated well into the NBA include Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray.

“It is the coach Cal effect. NBA teams know his track record and know five-star guards do not always translate well in the Calipari system but are better pros,” Peek said.

“They can also see how productive Reed and Rob were in one year. It’s easier to take a gamble and stay in the good grace of the fan base and owners if you take a one-and-done Kentucky guard.

“Look at what the rest of them have done in the NBA. They might not have won a championship at Kentucky but they have been great in the NBA.”

Krysten Peek projected that Reed Sheppard would get picked No. 6 by the Toronto Raptors during the 2024 NBA Draft.