Reed Sheppard's off night is better than the best night for most at Summer League

NBA: Summer League-Houston Rockets at Washington Wizards — Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

How does a stat line of 15 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds look to you? Not too shabby, right?

For Reed Sheppard, it was his worst day as a pro thus far.

Playing in his third game in four days, the former Wildcat finally came back down to earth a bit after catching fire in the NBA Summer League to open his time out in Las Vegas. He went for 23 points (9-17 FG) and five assists in game one, then 22 points (9-15 FG), seven assists, six rebounds, five steals and a block in game two. His shooting took a dip in game three, converting on just 6-17 attempts in a loss — and he still managed to look pretty darn good.

Sheppard knocked down a handful of his patented pull-up mid-range jumpers with a few smooth finishes at the rim to close out his ho-hum 15-point night in Vegas.

Reed Sheppard vs Pistons today in the NBA SL..

15 PTS (6-17 FG)
4 AST
2 REBS
3 STLS

Not his best game in this SL, but you can still see how NBA ready he is… pic.twitter.com/3N1cOFIaes
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) July 16, 2024

It was a night that led former four-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA member Mark Price to compare Sheppard to himself on social media.

I just watched some highlights of (Reed Sheppard) at (NBA Summer League)! He sure reminds me of a former NBA all star,” Price wrote. “This young man has a bright future!”

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I just watched some highlights of @reed_sheppard at @NBASummerLeague ! He sure reminds me of a former NBA all star😀 This young man has a bright future!
— Mark Price (@Mark25Price) July 15, 2024

It’s been a wild couple of days for the former Wildcat in Las Vegas, the consensus being that Sheppard is outperforming all early expectations and very well may 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,” The Ringer’s Justin Verrier said. “But from his very first summer league action, the 20-year-old rookie already looked too good for the early July showcase.”

“He got game. Game recognize game. You’ve got to show love, that’s why,” NBA All-Star Trae Young said courtside at the Summer League after previously praising Sheppard on social media.