NBA Exec: Reed Sheppard Confidence 'Has Blown Me Away' in Rockets Summer League Games
July 18, 2024
It has only taken Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard three Summer League games to catch the attention of NBA higher-ups.
"Reed Sheppard, for example, has blown me away with his feel for the game and confidence," one NBA executive told ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Ohm Youngmisuk. "These guys are different players now than they were in March. Their bodies have gotten better. They are more explosive. And they've all been working on their game like crazy.
"This is going to be a fun group to follow... We're already seeing some real steals emerge here in Vegas."
Sheppard, who was selected No. 3 in the 2024 draft in part due to his strong shooting at Kentucky, has proved his accuracy can translate to the Summer League by averaging 20.0 points per game on 49.0 percent shooting from the field through three games in Las Vegas.
NBA @NBA3rd overall pick Reed Sheppard through 3 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2KSummerLeague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2KSummerLeague</a> games:<br><br>🔥 20.0 PPG<br>🔥 4.7 APG<br>🔥 4.7 RPG<br>🔥 3.0 SPG<br>🔥 49.0 FG%<br><br>Listen to the <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonRockets</a>' rookie mic'd up vs. the Wizards! <a href="https://t.co/HprIXFbqlH">pic.twitter.com/HprIXFbqlH</a>
The Kentucky product impressed against the Los Angeles Lakers in his Summer League debut last Friday by scoring 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting while adding five assists, three blocks and a steal.
Sheppard again shone on Sunday against the Washington Wizards, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting while adding six rebounds, seven assists, five steals and a block.
The former Kentucky standout's shooting dipped to 6-of-17 during his most recent Summer League outing, a Monday game against the Detroit Pistons, but he still contributed 15 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Sheppard's campaign to earn minutes at point guard as a rookie will continue Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although Fred VanVleet will likely head into the fall as the starter, Sheppard's standout performance in Las Vegas could get him playing time as a primary backcourt option off the bench.