Houston Rockets add elite shooter by taking Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall in NBA draft

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets chosen Reed Sheppard with the third total choose in the NBA draft Wednesday night time, including a elite long-range shooter to their younger crew.

“We ended up with Reed as the perfect participant within the draft by fairly a bit, the perfect prospect we thought… and form of the one man we have been actually targeted on,” normal supervisor Rafael Stone stated. “So if he had not gotten to us we might have in all probability traded down or out of the draft. Once we had the chance to choose him, we jumped on it.”

The guard, who spent one season at Kentucky, was the primary American taken on this yr’s draft after French gamers Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr have been chosen by Atlanta and Washington with the high two picks.

Sheppard stated he’d dreamed of this second since he was a little bit child. His large night time was made much more particular by having his mother and father Jeff and Stacey Sheppard, who additionally each performed at Kentucky, there with him. He turned 20 on Monday.

“It’s my mother’s birthday at the moment,” he stated. “In order that’s an superior factor to have fun as effectively.”

Sheppard averaged 12.5 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and a couple of.5 steals whereas showing in 33 video games for the Wildcats. He shot 52.1% from 3-point vary and made 83.1% of his free throws. He was the one participant within the nation final season to have a minimum of 145 assists, 80 steals and make a minimum of 75 3-pointers.

Sheppard turned the second participant in class historical past to have a minimum of 80 steals in a season regardless of beginning simply 5 video games. It’s the seventeenth consecutive yr that Kentucky has had a minimum of one participant chosen within the NBA draft.

“Our analysis was that Reed has a really particular skillset that offers him an opportunity to be particular within the NBA,” Stone stated.

At 6-foot-2 and 182 kilos, Sheppard is among the many smallest gamers on this yr’s draft, however can be thought by many draft analysts to be the perfect shooter.

Sheppard is the newest excessive draft choose to affix the rebuilding Rockets in recent times. They took Amen Thompson fourth final yr after including Jabari Smith Jr. with the third choose in 2022 and Jalen Inexperienced second in 2021.

Stone was requested how he thinks Sheppard will match along with his new crew.

“He can actually shoot and he can actually go, so gamers like that slot in each offense,” he stated.

The Rockets missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season this yr however made a big soar of their first yr underneath coach Ime Udoka after including veterans Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. Houston went 41-41 after profitable simply 17, 20 and 22 video games within the earlier three seasons.

“I’m tremendous excited,” Sheppard stated. “They’ve a very good factor entering into Houston. Coach is absolutely good. They’ve Jalen. They’ve a bunch of actually younger athletic guys and we’ll be capable of play quick and it’s going to be enjoyable.”

He’s trying ahead to taking part in with VanVleet, a fellow undersized guard who shall be coming into his ninth season within the NBA.

“The most important factor is simply entering into and studying,” he stated. “They’ve guys like Fred VanVleet that I’ll be capable of study from. Simply entering into with an open thoughts, able to study, able to do no matter it takes to win and simply compete.”

Stone believes VanVleet will assist Sheppard, simply as he aided many gamers on the roster in his first yr in Houston final season.

“I feel that’s a useful expertise,” Stone stated. “Fred was superb for all of our gamers final yr, even the veterans. Fred’s in all probability probably the most skilled and hardest NBA participant I’ve ever been round in 20 years on this league. So I feel it’s a blessing for Reed to come back into this case.”

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