Reed Sheppard drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

Time to start buying those Houston jerseys, Big Blue Nation — Reed Sheppard is a Rocket.

During the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night in Brooklyn, NY, Sheppard was selected with the 3rd overall pick by the Rockets. He is the first former Wildcat to hear his name called by Commissioner Adam Silver, becoming the 48th player drafted from Kentucky during the John Calipari era and the 139th overall player drafted in program history.

As an unexpected one-and-done in Lexington during the 2023-24 season, Sheppard was named National Freshman of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year while also earning All-SEC Second Team honors by both media and coaches. The native of London, KY averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and a nation-best 52.1 percent from three to go with 83.1 percent from the line. He became the only player in college basketball to rack up 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 3-pointers along with becoming the second player in Kentucky history to have 80 or more steals in a season.

That was all while coming off the bench in 28 of 33 games and playing just the third-most minutes at 28.9 per game, behind Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell.

Sheppard had 21 games in double figures, including seven with 20 or more while leading Kentucky in scoring seven times, assists 18 times, steals 25 times and blocks four times. His biggest performances came on the road, highlighted by a career-high 32-point effort at Mississippi State that included a game-winner, along with a 27-point performance at No. 4 Tennessee in a game where he drilled seven threes.

The ultimate fan-favorite and a homegrown talent who wore the blue and white as well as anyone in recent memory, Sheppard becomes the highest-drafted Kentucky guard since John Wall in 2010.

Not too bad for a kid from the 606.