Houston Rockets select Reed Sheppard in 2024 NBA Draft
The Houston Rockets have selected Reed Sheppard with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Sheppard only spent one season at Kentucky.
In Sheppard’s lone season with the Wildcats, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 53.6% from the floor and 51.1% from beyond the arc, the most accurate single-season 3-point percentage in program history.
While Sheppard wowed NBA scouts with his perimeter skills, he also showed off his will to win. In Kentucky’s 91-89 win over Mississippi State, Sheppard erupted for a career-high 32 points and drained a gutsy game-winning floater.
For his efforts, he was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, an All-SEC Second Team member and the National Association of Basketball Coaches National Freshman of the Year.
Sheppard played high school basketball at North Laurel High School (KY), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 37 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Reed Sheppard
Experts have high expectations for the Bluegrass native. On3’s James Fletcher III named Sheppard the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft and raved about his potential at the next level.
“Reed Sheppard is likely the best shooter in the NBA Draft this year, knocking down 52.1% on 4.4 attempts per game,” Fletcher III wrote. “The ability to also contribute as a playmaker and rebounder gives him one of the highest floors.
“In addition to the 6-foot-3 guard’s established offensive impact, he is an intriguing defensive prospect. He boasts great numbers while often gambling for steals. This approach could look drastically different based on the defenders he plays with in the NBA.”
Fletcher wasn’t alone in his praise. “RotoWire” also spoke highly of Sheppard ahead of the draft.
“At 6-foot-2, Sheppard is a fantastic catch-and-shoot player who can create his own shot at times and is a willing passer. He has elite defensive instincts, which allows him to jump passing lanes and poke the ball away from opposing ballhandlers, but he needs to get stronger before being considered a solid NBA defender.”
In an interview with NBA insider Shams Charania, Sheppard claimed he models his game after Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker and Kobe Bryant. Sheppard’s father, Jeff, played two seasons in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks.