Houston Rockets add elite shooter by drafting Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall in the NBA draft
The Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard with the 3rd overall pick during the NBA draft, adding an outstanding long-range shooter on their growing team.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard with the third overall pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, adding a elite long-range shooter to their young team.
“We were able to conclude that Reed as the most valuable player selected by a fair amount and the top candidate we could think of… also sort of the only one we really wanted to focus upon,” general manager Rafael Stone stated. “So even if he hadn’t come to us, we might have moved him down or even removed from the selection. If we had the chance to draft the player, we took advantage of the chance.”
This guard played one season in Kentucky became the very first American selected in this year’s draft following French player Zaccharie Risacher as well as Alex Sarr were selected by Atlanta and Washington in two of the top two selections.
Sheppard stated that he’d always dreamed of this day ever since being a young child. The big day was made all the more special because both of his parents Jeff and Stacey Sheppard, who also both played in Kentucky and were there to celebrate with him. He turned 20 on Monday.
“It’s my mom’s birthday today,”” he declared. “So this is a wonderful event to be celebrating too.”
Sheppard was averaging 12.5 scores, 4.1 Rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals at 33 times with the Wildcats. He shot 52.1 percentage from three-point range and hit 83.1 percent of free-throws. The only basketball player on the national stage in the last season with more than 145 assist and 80 steals, and at minimum 75 3-pointers.
Sheppard was the first player in Kentucky’s history to score more than 80 stolen items the course of a season, despite only playing five games. This is the 17th year in a row that Kentucky has more than one athlete chosen as a participant in the NBA draft.
“Our review concluded that Reed is a player with a special ability that gives him the chance to shine for the NBA,” Stone said.
At 6’2 and weighing 182 weight, Sheppard has been ranked among the most diminutive players of the draft this year, but is believed by many draft experts to be the top shooter.
Sheppard is the newest high draft selection to join the re-building Rockets in recent times. They picked Amen Thompson fourth in the previous year, after adding Jabari Smith Jr. with the third selection in 2022. Jalen Green with the second pick in 2021.
Stone was asked if he feels Sheppard will work with his new team.
“He is able to shoot really well and pass, making him a player who can be used in any offense,” he said.
The Rockets did not make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season however, they saw a huge leap in their first season in the direction of coach Ime Udoka, after they added veteran Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. Houston was 41-41, after having just won 17-20 and 22 games over the prior three seasons.
“I’m extremely thrilled,” Sheppard said. “They have a very good situation going on in Houston. Coach is very great. He has Jalen. They have a group of young athletes and we’ll be able be fast and have entertaining.”
He’s looking forward to playing alongside VanVleet an undersized guard who is entering his ninth season with the NBA.
“The most important thing is taking the time to learn,” he said. “They have people similar to Fred VanVleet that I’ll be in a position to learn from. It’s all about having an open and awe-inspiring mind eager to learn and take on whatever it takes to succeed and simply play.”
Stone believes that VanVleet will aid Sheppard the same way the team he helped the roster during his first season in Houston last season.
“I consider that to be an incredibly valuable knowledge-base,” Stone said. “Fred was an inspiration to all our players last year, not just veterans. Fred’s probably the best and extremely tough NBA player I’ve seen in my twenty years in the league. It’s definitely an honor for Reed to be in this position.”
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