Tag: Reed Sheppard

Reed Sheppard spectacular in his NBA Summer League debut

Former Kentucky basketball star Reed Sheppard was terrific in his NBA Summer League debut.

Former Kentucky basketball star, and current Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard picked up right where he left off when he began his NBA career on Friday night. Taking on the Los Angeles Lakers, he showed exactly the same type of play that made him the number three overall pick in the NBA draft.

On the night, Sheppard filled up the stat sheet, just like he did for the Wildcats. The rookie guard led the Rockets in scoring, with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting. He was also 4-of-6 from three-point range.

Related: NBA Summer League loaded with former Wildcats

Just as he did at Kentucky, Sheppard contributed in every other way as well. In addition to the scoring, he recorded five assists, four rebounds, three blocks, and a steal. Overall, he played like a top five draft pick.

The Rockets play again Sunday, this time against the Washington Wizards. Big Blue Nation is certain to be proud of Sheppard’s debut, and will be excited to see what he does in game two.

Reed Sheppard officially signs rookie-scale contract with Rockets

Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard signed his initial NBA contract, under which he’ll be paid over $10 million per season during each of the next two years.

Reed Sheppard officially signed his rookie-scale contract with the Houston Rockets, the team announced this week. Under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), financial terms for first-round draft picks are scaled relative to each draft slot.

According to HoopsHype data, Sheppard’s scaled contract after being drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round goes as follows:

  • 2024-25: $10.1 million
  • 2025-26: $10.6 million
  • 2026-27: $11.1 million
  • 2027-28: $14.0 million

The final two years of that Sheppard contract are team options, while the first two seasons are already fully guaranteed.

A 6-foot-2, 182-pound guard, Sheppard was an early entry draft candidate following his freshman season at Kentucky. He was named Freshman of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and he earned All-America Honorable Mention by the Associated Press.

Per 40 minutes played, Sheppard averaged 17.2 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 steals while shooting 53.6% from the floor, 52.1% from 3-point range, and 83.1% on free throws. He ranked eighth in the nation in steals per game and first in 3-point percentage with a minimum of 30 attempts.

Dating back to 2001-02, Sheppard joined Tyrese Haliburton and Stephen Curry as the only Division I players to have averaged at least 16.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.5 made 3-pointers per 40 minutes while sporting a true shooting percentage of 60.0% or better. Sheppard was the third Division I freshman to have recorded at least 80 steals and 75 3-pointers in a single season.

Sheppard turned 20 years old last month.  His parents, Jeff and Stacey, were both star basketball players at Kentucky during the 1990s.

[lawrence-related id=124588,124661]

PHOTOS: Reed Sheppard joins Houston Rockets via 2024 NBA draft

Sharpshooting Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard is now a member of the Rockets after being drafted at No. 3 overall in the NBA’s 2024 first round.

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.

No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard signs rookie-scale contract with Rockets

Sheppard, the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, signed his rookie-scale contract on Tuesday.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft last week, signed his rookie-scale contract on Tuesday, the team announced.

He will make $8,415,800 next season as the third pick.

Sheppard was named SEC Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals on 52.1% shooting from 3-point range at Kentucky. He had seven 20-point games, including a season-high 32 points and the game-winning shot on Feb. 27.

The 6-foot-3 guard led the country in 3-point percentage and finished 10th in total steals (82). He was the only player in the country to record at least 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 3-pointers, and just the second in program history with 80 or more steals in a season.

Sheppard is the Rockets’ third top-five pick in as many years (Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson). He is the third player to be drafted at No. 3 by the Rockets in franchise history, joining Rodney McCray in 1983 and Smith in 2022.

The 20-year-old is expected to suit up with the Rockets in the NBA Summer League. The team will play at least five games in the annual event, beginning with Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers on July 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sheppard will be joined in summer league by fellow rookie N’Faly Dante, second-year forward Cam Whitmore and Nate Hinton, among other players.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650261252]

Rookie guard Reed Sheppard to wear No. 15 jersey with Rockets

Rookie guard Reed Sheppard will begin his NBA career wearing the No. 15 jersey for the Rockets, who last had that number worn by Daishen Nix.

Just as he did at the University of Kentucky, rookie guard Reed Sheppard will wear a No. 15 jersey with the Rockets. He showed off the jersey at Tuesday’s introductory press conference in Houston.

Now 20 years old, Sheppard was the No. 3 overall draft pick in the NBA’s 2024 first round. The 6-foot-2 guard made more than 52% of his 3-pointers in his lone collegiate season at Kentucky, where he wore the same No. 15 jersey of his father, Jeff Sheppard.

The elder Sheppard played with the Wildcats from 1993 to 1998, a run which included two national championships in 1996 and 1998.

As for the younger Sheppard and his No. 15 jersey in Houston, previous Rockets to wear that number include Daishen Nix (2022-23), DeMarcus Cousins (2021), Clint Capela (2015-20), Toney Douglas (2013), Joey Dorsey (2009-10), and John Lucas III (2006-07).

The complete historical list for that and all Rockets jersey numbers is available through Basketball Reference.

Sheppard will wear the No. 15 jersey for the first time when Houston opens 2024 summer-league play on July 12 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Tipoff from Las Vegas is at 6:30 p.m. Central.

[lawrence-related id=124532,124511]

Rockets to introduce Reed Sheppard in Tuesday press conference

The Rockets will introduce Reed Sheppard in a 1 p.m. press conference on Tuesday in Houston, and it will be available for live streaming.

The Rockets will introduce newly drafted rookie guard Reed Sheppard as part of a Tuesday afternoon press conference from the team’s home arena of Toyota Center in downtown Houston. Sheppard, a 6-foot-2 sharpshooting guard, connected on more than 52% of his 3-pointers during his lone collegiate season at Kentucky.

Tuesday’s event will be closed to the public, but it will be available for live streaming via the team’s website at rockets.com, its official YouTube channel, and its Rockets mobile app.

Sheppard, a 20-year-old drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round, will be joined on stage by general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka. All will take questions from media members on site, with opening remarks beginning at 1 p.m. Central on Tuesday.

Topics are likely to include Sheppard’s role with the Rockets for the upcoming 2024-25 season and beyond, as well as initial priorities for Sheppard and a cast of other young players as they get ready for a brief stint at the NBA’s 2024 summer league next week.

With Sheppard in a leading role, Houston will open summer league-play on Friday, July 12, with a high-profile matchup versus Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Tipoff from Las Vegas is at 4:30 p.m. local time, and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Stone and Udoka are also likely to be asked about other elements of Houston’s 2024 offseason, during which the Rockets (41-41) are looking to build upon a much-improved season that finished with the NBA’s biggest annual wins increase among all 30 teams.

[lawrence-related id=124532,124511]

Rafael Stone, Rockets viewed Reed Sheppard as 2024 draft’s best player

“At the end of our process, we ended up with Reed as the best player in the draft by quite a bit,” Rockets GM Rafael Stone says of Reed Sheppard.

Heading into the 2024 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets had their eyes set on one player with the No. 3 overall selection in Wednesday’s first round. As fate would have it, University of Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard was still available when Houston was on the clock.

“I think there are a lot of guys who can and will have really productive NBA careers,” Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said after the first round. “But in this case, at the end of our process, we ended up with Reed as the best player in the draft by quite a bit.”

“He was the only guy we were really focused on, so if he had not gotten to us, I think we would have traded down or out of the draft. But when we had the opportunity to draft him, we jumped on it.”

When Stone was asked why he felt Sheppard was the best prospect in the draft, he immediately mentioned his shooting ability as a primary reason. Last season, Houston ranked 23rd in the NBA in 3-point shooting, finishing at 35.2% as a team.

“He has a special set of skills,” Stone said of Sheppard, who shot 52.1% on 3-pointers in his lone collegiate season at Kentucky. “His shooting was historically great. His feel for the game, his passing, his ability to get deflections, and he is an NBA athlete. The IQ and feel are very real. There is just a lot to like.”

Sheppard, 20, appeared in 33 games at Kentucky and averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. His 52.1% clip from 3-point range was a key factor in him being awarded Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and earning second-team All-SEC honors.

While with the Wildcats, Sheppard was named National Freshman of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He earned All-America Honorable Mention from the Associated Press.

[lawrence-related id=124498,124506,124482]

Rafael Stone reacts to Rockets-Nets trade, Reed Sheppard draft choice

In a virtual press conference, GM Rafael Stone shared his perspective on the recent Rockets-Nets trade and Houston’s top draft selection of Reed Sheppard.

HOUSTON — In a virtual press conference outside the Toyota Center war room, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone shared his perspective on Houston’s recent trade with the Brooklyn Nets and its top 2024 draft selection of Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.

Sheppard, a 6-foot-2 guard, shot over 52% on 3-pointers in his lone collegiate season with the Wildcats. He was drafted by Houston at No. 3 overall in Wednesday’s first round, which took place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Meanwhile, in a trade with the host Nets the previous night, Houston acquired four future first-round draft assets from the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks (via Brooklyn) in exchange for a pair of first-round assets in 2025 and 2026.

As part of Wednesday night’s press conference, Stone shared his perspective on the implications of both of those moves and beyond.

Stone and the Rockets also have a pick coming up (at No. 44 overall) in Thursday’s second round of the 2024 NBA draft, which starts at 3:00 p.m. Central. It will be televised on ESPN.

Rockets draft Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard at No. 3 in NBA draft

With the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Rockets selected guard Reed Sheppard out of the University of Kentucky.

With the third overall pick on Wednesday in the 2024 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets selected guard Reed Sheppard out of the University of Kentucky.

Sheppard was named SEC Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals on 52.1% shooting from 3-point range. He had seven 20-point games, including a season-high 32 points and the game-winning shot on Feb. 27.

The 20-year-old established himself as a top-five pick after a tremendous season with the Wildcats. He was also said to be in contention as the No. 1 pick by the Atlanta Hawks.

Sheppard becomes the Rockets’ third top-five pick in as many years (Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson). He is the third player to be drafted at No. 3 by the Rockets in franchise history, joining Rodney McCray in 1983 and Smith in 2022.

The 6-foot-3 guard led the country in 3-point percentage and finished 10th in total steals (82). He was the only player in the country to record at least 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 3-pointers, and just the second in program history with 80 or more steals in a season.

Sheppard projects to be able to step in and contribute immediately as the Rockets look to return to the playoffs. He has the potential to develop into a two-way player and help the Rockets now.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262612]

The Houston Rockets select former Wildcat Reed Shepard third overall

Reed Sheppard was selected third overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2024 NBA draft.

As the NBA draft got closer, more and more mock drafts began to predict Reed Sheppard would go inside the top three. Most often, he was projected to be the third pick and go to the Houston Rockets. On Wednesday night, that’s exactly what happened.

Sheppard headed for Kentucky as a part of a heralded recruiting class, but was not one of the top ranked players. He wasn’t even a top 50 player in the 2023 class.

As the season wore on, it became apparent that Sheppard had NBA appeal. He was an elite shooter, one of the best in the country. He showed an uncanny ability to pass the ball from anywhere on the floor as well. His help defense was terrific, and he was as good as anyone at getting his hands on the ball to force a steal.

The Rockets clearly needed shooters going into this draft, and Sheppard is the best in the draft. His one-on-one defense needs work, and he isn’t big, but he is fantastic in many aspects of the game. Wildcats fans hope that fans in Houston appreciate him as much as the fans in Lexington did.