Why the Houston Rockets shouldn’t draft Reed Sheppard

The Houston Rockets will be on the clock with the third overall pick in next month’s draft, and among the top options the team can select could be Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.

Sheppard, who turns 20 in June, is considered one of the top prospects in the NCAA, and his 3-point shooting is one of the best in the draft class. Sheppard played one season at Kentucky, averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 33 games last season. The Rockets need to add players who can space the court, which is why the team should pick him. However, his fit with the Rockets is not transparent.

“Sheppard, a 6’1 sharpshooter from Kentucky, measured a maximum vertical jump of 42 inches at the combine,” writes Forbes. “While he would provide an instant long-range boost to one of the NBA’s worst shooting teams, Sheppard’s size is a concern. The team’s backcourt of the future currently projects as a second pick overall pick in 2021, Jalen Green, alongside 2023 fourth overall pick Amen Thompson. Veteran guard Fred VanVleet is the incumbent at point guard, although he is only under contract for two more seasons. .

Sheppard may not be ready to play right away, and his size means he’ll need to be a very good defender. There’s no reason Sheppard can’t be that elite defender, but he’s not there yet. He will have to develop a lot with the team that recruits him.

Given where the Rockets are, it may not be in their best interest to take a prospect like Sheppard with the third overall pick. It’s entirely possible that he wouldn’t even make the rotation if he joined the Rockets, so if the front office wants to bring Sheppard to Houston, it’s because they believe in his ability to learn and develop at a rapid pace.

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