It’s unlikely that Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard will get heavy minutes right out of the gate, but he’s still bound to get opportunities as a key player off the bench and provide valuable depth alongside Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Amen Thompson.
As the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Sheppard made a strong impression during the NBA Summer League, averaging 20.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field. His shooting, in particular, was as good as advertised, and that alone could convince Rockets head coach Ime Udoka to find minutes for him.
And speaking of Sheppard’s shooting, it seems Stephen Curry will be a popular comparison for the Rockets rookie if he isn’t already. Is Sheppard going to be the next Curry? Probably not. But NBA analyst Tom Haberstroh throws a curveball with that question, suggesting that Sheppard is the closest thing to the Golden State Warriors superstar.
“He’s not Steph Curry, but I think he is the closest thing to Steph Curry we’ve seen in a long time…”
“He’s not Steph Curry, but I think he is the closest thing to Steph Curry we’ve seen in a long time…”
– Tom Haberstroh on Reed Sheppard
(Via the Kevin O’Connor Show / h/t @GormanChristoph) pic.twitter.com/ANjHVZLvVR
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 8, 2024
