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Reed Sheppard selected in 2024 NBA Draft after standout season at Kentucky
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Reed Sheppard has a new team. The former Kentucky Wildcat was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. He was the first college player selected in Wednesday’s draft.
Sheppard learned his pro fate days after his 20th birthday. He turned pro after one standout season playing for John Calipari at UK.
Welcome to Houston, @reed_sheppard!#NBADraft | #Rockets pic.twitter.com/u9RsbpruWJ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) June 27, 2024
The Rockets land a shooter in Sheppard. He shot 53.6% from the floor, a nation-best 52.1% from 3-point range and 83.1% from the free-throw line in 955 minutes over 33 games.
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A guard listed at 6-3, 187 pounds, Sheppard is a lottery pick who was primarily a bench player for Calipari’s Cats. He made just 5 starts in the 2023-24 campaign for a Kentucky team that went 23-10 with a 13-5 mark in conference play.
Sheppard was the only college basketball player in the country to amass 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 3-pointers in the 2023-24 season. More than just a shooter, Sheppard became the second player in UK history to have 80 or more steals in a single season.
A consistent scorer, Sheppard had 21 games in which he reached double-figures, including 7 games with 20-plus points. Sheppard was Kentucky’s top scorer 7 times, while leading the team in assists in 18 games, steals in 25 games and blocks four times.
Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. His highs include 32 points (Mississippi State), 7 3-pointers (Tennessee), 11 assists (Vanderbilt) and 5 steals (LSU).
Sheppard’s Kentucky career was brief, but decorated. He was named the National Freshman of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Sheppard was also named Dick Vitale’s “Diaper Dandy” of the Year and the SEC Freshman of the Year.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
