Ben Sheppard

Ben Sheppard is the kind of connective wing every deep team needs. Indiana drafted the Belmont product 26th in 2023, betting his size, shooting stroke, and defensive effort would scale to the NBA — and they have. He carved out a rotation role during the Pacers' 2025 run to the Finals, where his job was less about scoring than guarding tough assignments and keeping the ball moving; his standout moment was a 14-point night in the second round against Cleveland. Indiana lost that Finals to Oklahoma City in seven, but Sheppard's stock rose, and the Pacers picked up his team option. He keeps a low-usage, high-feel 3-and-D role on a cost-controlled deal, rarely headlining a box score but making winning lineups work.