Arriving as a freshman on a new team, at a new school and in a different state can be intimidating. First-year Long Beach State men’s basketball forward Nick Shepherd is not fazed, though.
Shepherd is the lone freshman on a roster predominately made up of juniors and seniors. The big man from Missouri City, Texas, who measures in at 6-9 and 215 pounds, says his teammates have been nothing but helpful.
“[My teammates] helped me transition really well,” Shepherd says. “Larry [Anderson] gets on me all the time, which makes me better. Everyone just wants me to be good for this team.”
His career at Westbury Christian High School earned him a 139 out of 150 ranking among recruits on Rivals.com. As a senior, Shepherd averaged 9.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, and was named first team all-state and first team all-district. His performance in the state basketball tournament last year let him know that he wanted to continue playing ball.
“I had 15 blocks, and that made me think I could actually do something good and positive at the next level,” Shepherd says.
He understands that it isn’t easy to transition to the college game, but Shepherd embraces the work that needs to be done to perform at the next level.
“[The transition] has been good,” he says. “It’s a lot of hard work, and I like that a lot.”
To help him succeed at the Division I level is fourth-year 49ers head coach Dan Monson, who is excited about what Shepherd can contribute to the program.
“[Shepherd is] the most athletic kid on our team,” Monson says. “He’s going to be the future of the program. He just needs some time to adjust to this level and get stronger and help us work with his skill set a little bit.”
Shepherd understands the value of having such a distinguished coach.
“He cracks jokes at me, but it makes me better in the end so it’s all good,” Shepherd says.
Other members of the team have noticed his progress including junior guard Casper Ware, who is impressed with the strides Shepherd has made in practice.
“[Shepherd] made a big step since we first had practice,” Ware says. “He’s now getting a role and he’s fitting in real well.”
Ware says his high intensity-style makes him a valuable player.
“[Shepherd] is going to be a spark off the bench,” Ware says. “We need somebody with energy, and he has that. He’s athletic, long, can contest shots — so he’s going to be a big help for us.”
Shepherd understands his role on the team and is excited to contribute in any capacity.
“I just need to rebound, and help my team out on the offensive end,” Shepherd says.
Even though Shepherd is from Texas, he knew of — and followed — the 49ers before committing to LBSU.
“My mom is really into basketball, and we watched every game the season before,” Shepherd says. “I came to the [last season’s final] home game, so I have been really into it since before I got here.”
LBSU has a lot to offer the students and players that choose to attend, but what is Shepherd’s favorite thing about the school?
“The Pyramid, I love the Pyramid,” Shepherd says. “It’s totally different. There’s nothing like this in Texas.”
Shepherd and the 49ers tip off their season Saturday against 25th-ranked San Diego State at the Walter Pyramid.
As the only freshman on the roster, one might expect there to be a substantial amount of rookie hazing. But the team has taken it easy on him, at least so far, according to Ware.
“It hasn’t been too bad yet, but on the trips he is going to get it,” Ware says. “[Shepherd] is going to have lots of duties to do, so he is going to get it on the trips.”
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