LAS VEGAS — Reed Sheppard, the third overall pick in the NBA draft, was one of the best players on the court Friday night in his first game of Summer League. The former Kentucky guard stole the show against Bronny James and the Lakers, finishing with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and three blocks in the Rockets’ 99-80 victory. It was clear evidence that Sheppard could be one of the best players in the draft.
“It was a really fun game and a great atmosphere,” Sheppard said Friday night. “We had a really good week of practice and at first it was just getting into the rhythm, getting the nerves out of the way, but as the game went on I felt more comfortable.”
Sheppard’s second game on Sunday was just as impressive as his first. The Rockets faced the Wizards, with Alex Sarr (2nd pick) and Bub Carrington (14th pick). Carrington nearly had a triple-double in his first outing, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Sunday’s game was billed as a solid shooting guard matchup, and both Sheppard and Carrington got to work early. Carrington had a bit of an inconsistent shooting night, but still finished with 18 points and five assists in the 109-91 loss. Sheppard finished with another killer stat line and looked like an experienced player, finishing with 22 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.
When Sheppard’s shot wasn’t falling early enough, he found ways to get to the basket or draw the defense for easy three-pointers. In the second half, he found Cam Whitmore for an overhand cut on a half-court play that drew loud cheers from the crowd.
In just two games, he looks extremely comfortable in NBA spaces, being patient and playing with a lot of pace. Defensively, he recovers after the switch, deflects passes and gets blocks. It’s still early, but even some of the NBA’s top guards are noticing his potential. Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young posted on X during Sunday’s game, proclaiming, “Reed Sheppard is good!!” And three of Sheppard’s future Rockets teammates — Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason — watched from the Thomas & Mack Center baseline and were more than impressed.
“He’s really good, I don’t even know what to say,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports of Sheppard. “He’s a guy who makes all the right plays. He’s a really good passer, he can shoot and he can defend. I’m excited.”
Sheppard has the potential to be more than just a backcourt player or a primary playmaker in the secondary. Sheppard could end up being a franchise starting point guard thanks to his quality play and immense versatility on both ends of the floor.
“The biggest thing for him is he’s getting more and more comfortable on the court,” Rockets Summer League head coach Garrett Jackson said after the game. “I know he’s a good player and he’s confident, but especially with rookies, just being comfortable on the court, after that, everything falls into place. I’m happy to see that happen sooner rather than later.”
Sheppard’s role in his lone year at Kentucky was noticeably different. He came off the bench and played more off-the-ball alongside Rob Dillingham (who was drafted No. 8 by the Timberwolves). Sheppard shot extremely well, shooting 52.1 percent from three-point range on nearly four attempts per game, and led the team in assists with 4.5 per game. His off-the-ball play and movement weren’t as polished as we’ve seen in his first two Summer League games, and he credits his teammates and spacing for giving him more freedom.
“I really take what I’m given on every play,” Sheppard said. “We have a lot of good players who can space the floor, and that’s opened up some opportunities for me. It’s about making the right basketball play. If I’m the one that’s open, I shoot. If I’m not, I attack and give somebody else open. I just trust my teammates and make all the right basketball plays.”
This is Whitmore’s second season with the Rockets and he was named the 2023 Summer League MVP last year. The 6-foot-10 forward is easily one of the best players in this Summer League and has found chemistry with Sheppard early on. Whitmore is averaging 22.5 points through the first two games and has pulled Sheppard aside numerous times to show him what Whitmore sees on both sides of the ball.
“It’s really exciting to play with Reed and see what he can do on the court,” Whitmore said. “He can really do it all, even on defense. Even though he’s not the tallest, being 6’0” or 6’0”, he can still intercept balls, get in spaces, get in passing lanes and make blocks. I love playing with him.”
Summer League is always a time to evaluate new players and see how they fare in their first taste of the NBA. League executives and scouts look at other teams to see who has potentially made or missed out on certain prospects. After two games, it’s safe to say the Rockets got a good fit with Sheppard, and he’s proving to be a player who can come in right away and contribute in his first year.
News Source : sports.yahoo.com
Gn sports
