In one of the first reports of the 2024 NBA draft cycle citing internal views from the Rockets, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo reports that Houston is showing serious interest in Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.
The Rockets currently own the No. 3 overall pick of the first round, and Sheppard is a popular mock-draft projection at that slot.
As part of ESPN’s latest mock draft, Woo writes:
It feels like Sheppard’s range of draft outcomes is quite narrow at this point. The Rockets have demonstrated serious interest in him at No. 3, with both the front office and ownership intrigued by his fit as a shooter and playmaker next to their established young talent.
Should Houston decide to trade back or go another direction, San Antonio is also quite intrigued with Sheppard and will be in position to pounce one pick later.
Houston has been testing the market for this pick, which holds trade value due in part to the thought that Clingan, who many teams view as a potential trade-up target, will be available if the first two picks go as currently expected. Regardless, Sheppard’s shooting ability, intangibles, and room for growth as a playmaker have put him in position to be the first guard off the board, completing his ascent from a November curiosity into a full-blown lottery talent.
A 6-foot-3, 182-pound guard, Sheppard was incredibly efficient in his one season at Kentucky, shooting 53.6% overall and a blistering 52.1% on 3-pointers. In all, the 19-year-old averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 28.9 minutes per game.
Updated two-round mock draft on ESPN: Who's rising and falling, who is working out where, plus all the latest intel for every pick.https://t.co/xD2nWIycw4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 19, 2024
