SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Ben Sheppard started growing his mustache on a whim after the Indiana Pacers drafted him with the No. 26 pick in 2023.
He was clean shaven as a college player at Belmont and stayed that way long enough to take all of the post-draft photos alongside fellow first-round pick Jarace Walker. Then he just started letting his facial hair grow.
By the start of NBA Summer League in 2023, he was showing some stubble, but eventually gave up on everything but the hair above his lip. By training camp he had a full-grown mustache.