Analyzing the Houston Rockets draft class

The Rockets only had one pick in the draft this year and they chose to select Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky. Houston was one of the worst teams in the league in three-point percentage, so they ended up selecting one of the best shooters in the entire draft. Sheppard shot over 50 percent from behind the arc, showing great consistency and accuracy. The 6-foot-3 point guard is more than just a shooter as he does a great job of getting steals.

He has good instincts and ends up getting steals or deflections when he jumps into passing lanes. Where Sheppard separates himself from most sharpshooters is that he is a very good playmaker and has the ability to create open shots for his teammates. The Kentucky native is a three-level scorer who has great feel for the game and always seems to make the right play. The biggest area of ​​concern for Sheppard is his difficulty creating space for defenders.

He doesn’t have great ball handling and lacks power on the dribble. Creating openings could be a major problem in the NBA. Fortunately, he’ll be playing alongside Amen Thompson who should thrive alongside Sheppard. Thompson is a 6’3″ point guard who is a special athlete with elite passing skills and consistently puts pressure on the basket, but he struggles to shoot the ball particularly well. Sheppard has a very high floor so at a minimum, he should be a key contributor for a Rockets team trying to take the next step next season.

The Rockets only signed one rookie to a two-way contract, N’Faly Dante out of Oregon. The 2.08 m center was very productive in his senior year of college. He was a defensive playmaker for the Ducks, as he did a great job of changing shots around them using his size, length, and leaping ability. Dante is an every-time lob threat who excels as a screener and roller and as a finisher around the rim. On the downside, he struggles to defend in space, and he’s not a particularly versatile defender. He struggled to stay healthy throughout his college career, so there are questions about whether his body can hold up over the course of an 82-game season. There is a chance that Dante ends up being a solid role player for an NBA team in the future, as he has the tools to be a productive center in the NBA.

While Sheppard was the Rockets’ only draft pick this year, they clearly upgraded their roster. They needed a standout shooter and someone who could fit right in with Thompson and they found that in Sheppard. The only downside to this team is that there is a lot of young talent and perhaps too many mouths to feed, so in a year they may have to make some tough decisions to free up playing time for a guy like Sheppard.

It is almost certain that the Kentucky native will be a very good NBA player who will have a long career in the league, whether he is an elite role player or a star point guard in the NBA. Dante’s free agent signing was quite underrated as there is a real chance that he could be a solid role player in the NBA. Overall, this was a very good draft for the Rockets and all fans should be very excited for the future.

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