Possible Rookie of the Year? Reed Sheppard impresses again in second Summer League game

LAS VEGAS – Reed Sheppard, picked third in the NBA Draft, was one of the best players on the court Friday night in his first Summer League game. 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. That performance was a strong statement that Sheppard could be one of the best players in the draft class.

“It was a really fun game with a great atmosphere,” Sheppard said Friday night. “We had a very good week of training and, at the beginning, it was just getting into the rhythm, relieving the nervousness, but as the game went on I became more comfortable.”

Sheppard’s second game on Sunday was just as impressive as his first. The Rockets faced the Wizards with the No. 2 pick, Alex Sarr, and the No. 14 pick, Bub Carrington. Carrington nearly had a triple-double in his first game, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Sunday’s game was considered a solid guard matchup, and both Sheppard and Carrington went to work early. Carrington had a somewhat busy 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 a seasoned player, finishing with 22 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.

When Sheppard’s shot didn’t fall early, he found ways to get to the rim or draw up the defense for easy 3s. In the second half, he found Cam Whitmore for a backdoor cut in a half-court set that drew cheers from the crowd.

In just two games, he looks extremely comfortable in NBA spacing, being patient and playing with a lot of pace. Defensively, he is recovering from the exchange, deflecting passes and getting blocks. It’s still early, but even some of the best guards in the NBA are seeing potential in him. Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young posted in X during Sunday’s game, proclaiming, “Reed Sheppard, cool y’all!!” And three of Sheppard’s future Rockets teammates — Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason — watched from the baseline at the Thomas & Mack Center and were more than impressed.

“He’s so good, I don’t even know what to say,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports about Sheppard. “He’s a guy who makes all the right plays. He’s a great passer, he can shoot and defend. I’m excited.”

Sheppard has the potential to be more than just a skin-tight guy or the secondary unit’s head guard. Sheppard could end up being a franchise starting guard with how well he is playing and his immense versatility on both ends of the court.

“The biggest thing for him is he’s getting more comfortable on the court,” Rockets Summer League coach Garrett Jackson said after the game. “I know he’s a good player and he’s confident, but especially with newcomers, you just have to be comfortable on the court, after that everything falls into place. I’m glad it happens sooner rather than later.”

Sheppard’s role during his year at Kentucky was significantly different. He came off the bench and played more with the ball alongside Rob Dillingham (who was drafted 8th overall by the Timberwolves). Sheppard shot extremely well, hitting 52.1% from 3-point range on nearly four attempts per game, and led the team in assists with 4.5 per game. His play and off-ball movements haven’t been as polished as we saw in his first few Summer League games, and he credits his teammates and spacing as paths to more freedom.

“I’m really just taking what I’m given on every play,” Sheppard said. “We have a lot of good players who can space the court and that opened things up for me. It’s about making the right basketball game. someone else is open. I’m just trusting my teammates and making all the right basketball plays.”

This is Whitmore’s second season with the Rockets and he was named 2023 Summer League MVP last year. The 6-foot-1 wing is by far one of the best players in this Summer League and 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 what Whitmore is seeing 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 the defensive end. Even though he’s not the tallest at 6-1 or 6-2, he can still steal, get into gaps, get into passing lanes and get blocks. I love playing with him.”

Summer League is always a time to evaluate new players and see how they fare in their first NBA experience. League executives and scouts watch other teams to see who potentially hits or misses certain prospects. After two games, it’s safe to say the Rockets have had a good start with Sheppard, and he’s proving to be a player who can step in right away and contribute in his first year.