NBA Mock Draft: Who Do Rockets Take at No. 8?

The Houston Rockets are projected to grab a top player in this year's NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 10, 2024

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The Houston Rockets could add another key piece to their core with a high pick in this year's draft.

That's not because they are slipping in the standings and are currently projected to finish in the lottery because they don't own their draft pick this year; the Oklahoma City Thunder will hold it unless they finish in the top four. But they have the Brooklyn Nets' pick, which is currently slated to be No. 8 overall.

With that pick, Sports Illustrated projects that the Rockets will take Kentucky point guard Reed Sheppard.

"His shooting ability alone makes him a coveted basketball prospect, but he’s got plenty of connective attributes capable of making winning impact, too. He averages 4.4 rebounds — a fine number for an undersized guard — and 4.3 assists per game, a strong number off the bench, and something that could allude to a possibly larger role in the NBA down the line," Draft Digest writes.

Sheppard is averaging 12.2 points per game in his freshman season, and he'll help Kentucky compete for a deep postseason run.

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The Rockets have a crowded guard rotation, so Sheppard's fit with the Rockets would be a question mark. Any rookie this team brings in will have to be a project as minutes will be far from a guarantee. After drafting Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore last season, adding another guard to the developmental mix could be a poor fit for anyone, even someone as talented as Sheppard.

The NBA Draft is set for June 25-26.

Published Mar 10, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.