Rockets Earn High Grade for First-Round Selection in 2024 NBA Draft

Hopefully Reed can live up to the billing!

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Reed Sheppard shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Houston Rockets in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets landed a top-four draft pick for the fourth year in a row in the 2024 NBA Draft, although this one was slightly different than the previous years. The Rockets went 41-41 in 2023-24 and made a concerted effort to be competitive in the Western Conference.

However, they owned the Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick yet again (thank you, James Harden), which dropped to third in the draft lottery, despite being projected to fall to nine. Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone made it known that the pick was available and the franchise reportedly received inquiries about the pick. 

There was also speculation that the franchise was attempting to either move the pick for a star-level player or trade down to get a viable role player, while remaining with a later lottery pick.

Ultimately, the franchise held onto the pick, opting to select Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard instead. Krysten Peek, Yahoo Sports' senior NBA Draft analyst, doled out grades for each pick and rated the Sheppard pick very high, giving the Rockets an A for the selection. 

Peek's reasoning is below:

"Sheppard shot over 52% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game and will be more of a combo guard at the NBA level. He's a little undersized at 6-foot-2 but has a high IQ and a solid floor when it comes to a young, skilled guard coming into the NBA."

The Rockets were one of 11 teams to receive a grade of at least an A by Peek.

In a separate article, Peek added more.

"The Rockets landed one of the best shooters in the draft. The Kentucky guard shot over 52% from 3 on four attempts per game and will most likely be more of a combo guard in the NBA, playing alongside Jalen Green and Amen Thompson."

In Sheppard’s lone year in Lexington, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals, while shooting 52.1 percent from three, 53.6 percent from the field, and 83.1 percent from the free throw line. 

Sheppard was the only player in the country to post at least 145 assists and 80 steals, while also making at least 75 3-pointers.

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