As we get closer to the June 27 draft day, it seems more and more likely who the Rockets will select with the third overall pick. As this article is being written, the only prospect the Rockets have their eye on is Reed Sheppard, the sharpshooting Kentucky guard. Past the Rockets, there still seem to be many questions on who will go number one overall, as the Atlanta Hawks now have strong interest in Donovan Clingan. With this interest, there seems to be a world where another team will buy into the Hawks number one pick and most likely take center Alexandre Sarr from France. That’s a topic to get into another day as Sheppard’s game will be the main focal point of this article.

Fit With Rockets

The Rockets believe that Sheppard fits well with the young core they already have due to the shooting and playmaking ability that he has. In addition, I love Sheppard’s defense, and I think he has the possibility to become one of the best 2-way guards in the game. Sheppard led the SEC in steals per game (2.48) and has displayed great instincts on the defensive side of the ball. With the Rockets in particular, Sheppard could be used as a 3 and D type guy off the bench in his first season, which the Rockets could possibly develop to allow Sheppard to blossom into a scorer at all levels.

Overall, Sheppard would be an amazing fit off the bench, as he could be a solid complementary piece to Cam Whitmore’s scoring and Amen Thompson’s playmaking off the bench.

Sheppard’s College Stats Breakdown

In Sheppard’s only season of college basketball at Kentucky, he came off the bench in 28 out of 33 games. Although it’s overlooked, coming off the bench is a skill that needs to be developed. The ability to get into a rhythm quickly, especially as a shooter, is an asset that Sheppard has shown at a high level. Sheppard shot the ball at a 52.1% clip from beyond the arc this season. Looking at more advanced statistics, Sheppard shot 51.4% on catch and shoot threes. When contested on these shot attempts, Sheppard knocked down 45.5% of them. On wide open catch and shoot attempts, Sheppard shot a stunning 57.4%, which ranks him among the highest percentage of players. Other than catch and shoot threes, Sheppard led the SEC in true shooting percentage (70%) and he has a projected NBA three point percentage of 38.8%. In addition, Sheppard shot 51.4% on off the dribble three point attempts. This shows the potential scoring ability that Sheppard obtains as well as his confidence in shooting the ball in different scenarios. Sheppard’s quick release and polished footwork allows for him to shoot the ball before his defender has a chance to put a hand up.

Looking at playmaking, Sheppard was fifth in the SEC in assists (148) and fourth in assists per game (4.5). As mentioned before, Sheppard is not a defensive liability. Despite his small 6’2″ frame, he was thirteenth in the SEC in defensive rating (103.1), which calculates how many points the offense gets per 100 possessions. To put in perspective, Marcus Smart had a defensive rating of 112 in the 2022-23 season. Although Smart is playing better offensive players, Sheppard’s defensive rating contributes to his ability to lock down high level offensive players. I know I just threw a lot of stats at you in only a couple of sentences, but in my eyes, Sheppard’s shooting, playmaking, and defensive ability shows me that he is an all around player who has the potential to become a star in this league.

Could Sheppard Reach All-Star Status?

To put it simply, I do believe that Sheppard can be an All-Star in the NBA, but it will be hard with the Rockets because of the amount of firepower the team already has. The reason I love Amen Thompson so much is because of his ability to see the floor and swing the ball around, which is like the gunpowder put into a cannon. With more gunpowder, the firepower is stronger, but you don’t want too much gunpowder because then you will stall the cannon. This analogy aligns with the NBA pretty similarly, and although it sounds like a reach, the more you think about it the more it makes sense. For example, the Boston Celtics of this season had a lot of gunpowder mixed with firepower due to their unselfish style of play, which ultimately led them to winning the NBA Finals. Going back to Sheppard and his All-Star potential, I think he can reach this level if he is able to figure out how to fit himself into the Rockets offense, but we most likely won’t see him in the mid-season game for a couple of years.

Rockets With Sheppard

Going back on the cannon analogy, if Ime Udoka allows Sheppard to display his playmaking ability, the Rockets can add more gunpowder to their cannon. Add on Sheppard’s scoring ability and now you got more gunpowder and firepower to the cannon. Overall, Sheppard has the ability to become a star in this league, and if he’s available, the Rockets best choice would be to select him.