One of the top freshmen in the country is ready to turn pro.

Kentucky freshman guard Reed Sheppard announced on Thursday that he is entering the 2024 NBA draft. The SEC Freshman of the Year is a projected lottery pick, with B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicting in his latest mock draft that Sheppard could go as high as No. 3 to the San Antonio Spurs.

"I'm going all-in," Sheppard told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. "The opportunity I have is great. I've gotten really good feedback showing where I can be in the draft. I had an unbelievable year at Kentucky. It was such a fun year. It's not easy leaving the fans and the school I dreamed of playing at. I need to do what's best for me, and that's heading to the NBA."

Sheppard was also named second-team All-SEC after appearing in all 33 games for Kentucky with five starts and averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 52.1 percent from beyond the arc. His shooting efficiency makes him an attractive NBA prospect.

"My teammates and coaches put confidence in me, telling me you need to shoot," Sheppard said. "I was fortunate to be able to get in the gym and work with [Kentucky assistant] coach John Welch every day. He's one of the best trainers you'll find."

Despite earning a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky was eliminated in the Round of 64 by Oakland in one of the biggest upsets of March Madness. After the season, longtime head coach John Calipari accepted the same position at Arkansas and was replaced by former BYU head coach Mark Pope.

"The goal at Kentucky is to play for a national championship," Sheppard said. "I thought we had a good shot at it. Our team was special, and losing the way we did was hard. All the relationships we built and how close we were made this decision a lot harder."

The 2024 NBA draft will be held on June 26-27 in New York City.