If you are lucky enough to have ever encountered Winston Shepard, then you can vouch for me when I say that he defines one of a kind. A 6'7" wing with freakish athletic ability and a flair for the spectacular- Shepard is considered one of the top ten sophomores in America thanks to a collection of natural abilities that you only see in a handful of players per generation. Strangely enough though, it isn't until he steps off the court that Mr. Shepard truly enters his element. With a big, bright, white smile that he flashes at all the right times, extra long limbs that fit perfectly into his navy blue sweatsuit- and seem to move in just the right way as he glides out of the locker room and down the hall to greet his adoring fans, and a innate confidence that only can come from being arguably the top prospect on the top high school basketball program in the world- Shepard's social presence might just surpass that which he has on the basketball court. By the time Winston had finished his freshman season at Hightower High (TX), there was an undeniable buzz that stretched far beyond the Lone Star State about the unbelievably talented kid from Houston. With enough talent to garner early offers from a long list of schools including Texas, Okahoma, and Arizona, it would've been easy for Winston to have ridden out the rest of his high school years in Texas being "the man," living (what most kids his age consider) "the dream" and never having a care in the world. But that dream wasn't Winston's dream; his dream involved a decorated NCAA career, an NBA contract, and a life filled with choices that he could be proud of when it was all said and done- a dream that he knew would take hard work, dedication, and a whole lot of sacrifice. So Winston packed his bags and left home to go out west to the desert of Henderson, Nevada- passing up being big man on campus back home for the opportunity to be a part of the most prestigious and highly regarded high school basketball program in the world. Winston knew that the private school academics, college style training program, and national travel schedule was going to be a challenge to say the least, but he knew that if he wanted to truly become the best, that meant becoming a Findlay Prep Pilot. In his first season at Findlay, Winston is thriving; he competes with and learns from teammates like Tristan Thompson (going to Texas), Nick Johnson (#18 junior in the nation), and Cory Joseph (McDonalds All-American), he provides a spark plug off the bench as a role player for the #1 ranked Pilots, and, if it wasn't already a given, he makes hoards of new friends and adds members to the Winston Shepard fan club in every city they stop in. Winston Shepard may still be young, but that might just be the best part about him- the future is his canvas- and I couldn't be more excited to see what this young man is going to paint... For more information email DanielPoneman@gmail.com.
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