Reed Sheppard confident in Mark Pope despite entering NBA Draft: 'Kentucky will still be Kentucky'

There was never a question who Mark Pope's main target was after he took over the Kentucky job. He was going to go all-in on freshman star Reed Sheppard, regardless of how many people expected him to leave.

Pope made it known at his press conference, radio show and to whomever would listen -- he wanted Reed Sheppard back in Lexington for one more season.

Sheppard, who announced he was going to be entering the NBA Draft this week, met with Pope and at least heard out what he had to say. Yes, part of that could be the family connection.

Pope and Jeff Sheppard, Reed's dad, were teammates on the 1996 National Championship team for Kentucky.

Despite his move to the NBA, he has full faith in the new Kentucky head coach, saying he'll do a 'great job'.

"Our families are very close. We've stayed in touch and always watched his teams at BYU," Sheppard told ESPN. "I know how smart he is as a coach and how offensive-minded his teams are. They run really good stuff, shoot a lot of 3s and are fun to watch.

"I think Kentucky will still be Kentucky when it's all over."

While it would have been a great story to stay in Lexington for a second year and play for a family friend and his dad's former teammate and roomate, not everyhting is meant to have a fairytale ending.

Regardless, it feels like both Pope and Kentucky and Reed Sheppard will be just fine moving forward.