Kentucky basketball recruit Reed Sheppard makes a statement in ESPN game Tuesday night

The future of the Kentucky Wildcats’ basketball program was showcased on national television Tuesday night, with two top UK recruits facing off in a made-for-ESPN event.

Robert Dillingham and Reed Sheppard — the first two commitments for the Cats’ 2023 class — played against each other in the featured game of the Las Vegas Big Time Finale, one of the final marquee events on the grassroots basketball calendar this summer.

Sheppard drew widespread praise for his performance in the game, going for 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lead Midwest Basketball Club to a 78-67 victory over a talent-packed Strive For Greatness squad.

Dillingham — a 6-foot-2 combo guard from Hickory, N.C. — had 11 points and four assists for Strive For Greatness, a team that featured Bronny James (the son of LeBron James) and added top-five prospects Mookie Cook and Mackenzie Mgbako for this event. Mgbako is committed to Duke, while Cook has been a major UK target in the past and is still mentioning the Cats as a recruiting option. Some analysts are currently predicting that Cook will go the professional route, however.

Dillingham and Sheppard are the No. 6 and 20 overall prospects in the 2023 class, respectively, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. UK also landed a commitment Monday night from five-star wing Justin Edwards, who is the No. 3 player in those rankings.

All three recruits will be eligible to officially sign with Kentucky in November.