Team Vince 25, Team Melo 24
REED SHEPPARD: To be able to be out there for the Rising Stars game and All-Star Weekend is a blessing. Just be out there, enjoy the game, have fun, get up and down a little bit. Nothing too crazy or too serious, but it was a lot of fun.
Q. When you play a game to 40, then another up to 25, is it hard to get into a rhythm as fast as the flow of the game is going?
REED SHEPPARD: Yeah, I guess you could say so. You have less time to get ready. It's all good. It was a lot of fun. Going out there, like I said, just for this weekend, it was a lot of fun.
Q. Was the message from the coaches to really compete hard? It seemed like everybody really did compete hard.
REED SHEPPARD: Yeah, it was. It was compete hard but be smart. This All-Star Weekend is supposed to be fun. At the same time, don't go out there and just run around. Compete and play, but be smart and have fun.
Q. What's been the biggest thing you've noticed about your own game that's kind of taken off in year two?
REED SHEPPARD: I think overall just confidence. Trusting the work, trusting my shot, defensively being more physical, and really just going out there and have as much fun as possible.
Q. I just want to ask you about defense. I notice you get a lot of swipe-down steals as guys drive by. Where did you hone that particular skill?
REED SHEPPARD: I've always had the swiping down, but the part I had to get better at is the bumps before. Being physical, using your chest, and trying to bump them and then swipe down. As far as that goes, just continuing to work on it and continuing to get better defensively.
Q. Which teammate would you bring as your plus one to the All-Star Weekend who's not here?
REED SHEPPARD: Man, I don't know if I can pick one. I mean, there's really any of them that could come with me would be a lot of fun.
Q. Have you noticed teams defending you or playing you any differently in year two compared to year one?
REED SHEPPARD: A little bit, trying to run me off the line a little more, being more physical when I have the ball. For the most part, it's pretty much the same.
Q. Your thoughts on the game so far, just being here, in the Intuit Dome, just the whole atmosphere of Rising Stars?
REED SHEPPARD: It was super fun, super fun. It's always good being back and being able to see guys that you were in the Draft with, and now you're on separate teams. Being back together kind of in the same event is always fun catching up.
Like I said before, just going out there, All-Star Weekend, having fun, enjoying all the events. The games are competitive but nothing too crazy. Everyone is just out there having fun, playing basketball.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports