Everyone is talking about Reed Sheppard in the NBA Summer League

One year ago, we wondered how much playing time Reed Sheppard would get in his freshman season at Kentucky. Now, the former Cat is one of the standouts in the NBA Summer League, cementing his status as the draft’s top prospect.

By now, you’ve probably seen Reed’s numbers through his first two games. In his debut on Friday night, he had 23 points (9-17 FG) and 5 assists in the Rockets’ win over the Lakers. Yesterday, Reed put up 22 points (9-15 FG), 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and a block in a win over the Wizards. That makes for an average of 22.5 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 steals per game.

Neither Reed nor fellow top-ten draft pick Rob Dillingham got their true moment in the college basketball spotlight due to Kentucky’s early NCAA Tournament exit. A new set of eyes are watching them in Las Vegas and so far, they are very big fans. Reed is stealing the headlines, with NBA fans learning about his legacy story and seeing Jeff, Stacey, and Madison cheering him on in the stands.

The consensus so far? Reed Sheppard is already too good to be playing in the Summer League. Also, why in the world did he not start at Kentucky? The latter question will haunt some fans for a long time. Instead of torturing ourselves with what could have been, let’s look at the promising start to Reed’s next chapter, which continues tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET vs. Detroit (NBATV, ESPN+) — unless the Rockets decide to go ahead and shut him down.

Here is a roundup of what everyone is saying about Reed this morning.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton

Sheppard makes case as draft’s best prospect

…After scoring 20-plus points just seven times in 33 games at Kentucky, Sheppard has already done it in each of his first two outings as a pro. Sheppard’s ability to get where he wants with the ball and create separation with a hard crossover has stood out.

We already knew Sheppard, who hit 52% of his 3s from the college line, was a powerful shooter. He hit from a listed 27 feet during Sunday’s third quarter, which also saw Sheppard score nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and a pair of assists.

Defensively, Sheppard’s active hands constantly generate deflections. Sheppard had three blocks Friday and racked up a pair of pick-six steals Sunday.

Sheppard joins a crowded Houston backcourt with starters Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, along with 2023 lottery pick Amen Thompson and veteran Aaron Holiday. If Sheppard’s play in Vegas so far is any indication, however, he’ll force his way into regular playing time as a rookie.

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko

From an offensive standpoint, Sheppard showed a maturity to his game that should propel him forward, not only for the remainder of summer league but through training camp and his regular season with the senior team. There were strong reminders of his Kentucky days as a secondary playmaker, not wasting possessions and not afraid, almost insisting on making an extra pass to give up a good shot for a greater one. His shooting alone is something that is needed in spades in Houston, but his half-court intelligence might be just as necessary, especially in situations when Fred VanVleet or Alperen Şengün are on the bench.

Defensively, the 6-foot-2 Sheppard also provided reason for intrigue and optimism in his debut. One of his redeeming qualities at the collegiate level was his penchant for creating turnovers in key moments. Throughout the pre-draft process, scouts, analysts and front-office executives raved about his steal and block rates, despite being an undersized freshman guard. But there were also doubts about whether that would carry over to the next level. There were instances where his size put him at a disadvantage Friday, but Sheppard has the build and speed of a defensive back and makes plays on the ball just like one.

The Ringer’s Justin Verrier

Reed Sheppard may already be too good for summer league.

At first blush, Sheppard looks like one of the many squat game managers in Las Vegas toiling for their next contract. But from his very first summer league action, the 20-year-old rookie already looked too good for the early July showcase. Sheppard, the no. 3 pick, immediately displayed a steely confidence and command of the Rockets offense, penetrating into the teeth of the defense with quick, decisive moves and making fast reads and pinpoint passes to the open man—often Cam Whitmore, the reigning summer league MVP, who is again too big and too athletic for the competition. Sheppard’s lack of size will obviously elicit questions, but he is a surprisingly springy athlete (three blocks against the Lakers) and has awesome hands on defense (five steals against the Wizards). Shooting will likely always be the calling card for a player who hit more than half of his college 3-pointers—indeed, his shot looks as smooth as advertised—but his deep shooting has felt like a bonus to his across-the-board production and firm grasp of the game. Sheppard clearly belongs at the NBA level; the question now may be how quickly he can outplay a reserve role on a very deep Rockets team.

Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek

In just two games, he’s looking extremely comfortable in NBA spacing, being patient and playing with a lot of pace. Defensively, he’s recovering off the switch, deflecting passes and getting blocks. It’s still early, but even some of the best guards in the NBA are noticing his potential. Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young posted on X during Sunday’s game, proclaiming, “Reed Sheppard nice y’all!!” And three of Sheppard’s future Rockets teammates — Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason — watched from the baseline in the Thomas & Mack Center and were more than impressed.

“He’s really good, I don’t even know what to say,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports about Sheppard. “He’s a guy that makes all the right plays. He’s a really good passer, can shoot it and defend. I’m excited.”

Sheppard has the potential to be more than just a glue guy or the lead guard in the second unit. Sheppard could end up being a franchise starting guard with how well he’s playing and his immense versatility on both ends of the court.

Trae Young & Ja Morant

As Peek mentioned, even NBA stars Trae Young and Ja Morant have taken notice, tweeting about Reed’s hot start. The people behind the NBA’s Twitter account caught up with Reed to get his reaction to the tweets and Young courtside for more impressions of the rookie.

“He got game. Game recognize game. You’ve got to show love, that’s why.”

Game recognize game 🤝@TheTraeYoung & @JaMorant showing love to Reed Sheppard! pic.twitter.com/JdfgrtfMX6

— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2024

Reed Sheppard NBA Summer League highlights