Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, who connected on than 52% of his 3-pointers during one extremely efficient collegiate season with the Wildcats, is now a member of the Rockets. The 20-year-old was Houston’s draft choice at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round.
A 6-foot-2 sharpshooter, Sheppard joins a Houston squad in need of more 3-point shooting. In the recently completed 2023-24 NBA season, the Rockets ranked near the top 10 in 3-point attempts, yet they ranked among the 10 worst teams in accuracy.
“I’m super excited,” said Sheppard, as relayed by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “They have a really good thing going in Houston. The coach [Ime Udoka] is really good. Like you said, Jalen [Green]. They have a bunch of really young, athletic guys, and we’ll be able to play fast. It’s going to be fun. I’m super excited to get out there and learn and take it all in, so I can’t wait.”
Sheppard will put on a Rockets jersey for the first time when Houston competes in the NBA’s 2024 summer league, which starts July 12 in Las Vegas. Until then, here is a look at Sheppard’s initial days with the organization, headlined by the June 26 draft.