Could Reed Sheppard Become the Houston Rockets’ Hottest Prospect?

Reed Sheppard entered the 2024 NBA Draft as a promising prospect. In his lone season at Kentucky, he established himself as one of the best shooting guards in the country, averaging 12.5 points on 52.1 percent shooting in 33 games.

However, in his four games with the Houston Rockets during the 2K25 Summer League, Sheppard displayed all the qualities that made him the league’s top rookie.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic revealed on the Game Theory podcast that Sheppard’s performance in Summer League could make him the best player the Rockets have drafted since their rebuild began in 2021.

“I think Reed is their best player, if everything goes right,” Sam Vecenie said. “If everything goes right for Reed, then he’s going to be a great mid-range scorer, a great three-point shooter, an incredible passer and playmaker, and an incredible defensive playmaker overall. I think he’s their best player in today’s NBA.”

“I think Reed is a more promising player than Jalen Green, personally, at this point. It’s not a Jalen Green thing, I just think Reed’s passing and his playmaking and his feel are much better than Jalen Green’s. Jalen has all the athleticism and the separation and all that, but also the ability to make plays for his teammates and be an unselfish player.”

Sheppard saw significant playing time in Las Vegas and showed why he belongs in Udoka’s rotation as a rookie next season. He averaged 20.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals in four games.

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