The ongoing Summer League is witnessing the emergence of several youngsters. While the Thomas & Mack Center would have been packed to the brim for the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets game to see Bronny James in action, it was Reed Sheppard instead, who ended up hogging the headlines. Since LeBron James’ son has only been able to accumulate a combined score of 15 points, 6-26 from the field, and no 3s despite 12 attempts across three games, the attention is slowly moving away from him and onto others.

After getting drafted as the 3 overall pick by the Houston Rockets, Reed Sheppard was provided with a 4-year, $45.9 million deal. The ongoing Summer League was set to provide a glimpse of whether he was worth this exorbitant amount. He is! Making his debut on June 12, Sheppard went up against the Lakers, which contained fellow rooks- Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. Reed went on to lead the Rockets’ scoring, alongside Cam Whitmore, accumulating 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

He went 9-17 from the field, 4-6 with his 3s, and 1-2 with his free throws. On the other hand, Bronny could only put up 8 points and 5 rebounds. Believe it or not, this score is the Lakers rookie’s highest. Reed Sheppard repeated his efficient scoring efforts again in the Washington Wizards game, generating 22 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals.

This was the game that ended up earning him the affection of Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young. The 25-year-old took to his official X account to highlight his liking for the star rookie by stating “Reed Sheppard nice y’all !!.” It’s not every day that one receives praise from an experienced NBA player, that too a rival, especially during such an early stage of their career. However, he wasn’t the only one who received appreciation.

Young’s recent remarks were after he also showed support for his own team’s rookie, Zaccharie Risacher. In a statement, he had called the No. 1 NBA Draft Pick to be “a smart player” and someone who is “going to be really good in this league.” Well, Trae also seems to be keeping a check on the talents that his rival franchises now possess. Therefore, without any further delay, let us take a look into who this newest addition to the Houston Rockets roster is!

Who is Reed Sheppard?

Reed Sheppard spent the early years of his life in the vibrant city of London (no, not the London in the UK, but the one in Kentucky, USA). His parents, Jeff Sheppard and Stacey Reed, also come from rich basketball backgrounds, having made waves during their tenure at the University of Kentucky. Jeff found success in the NCAA winning 2 championships, and would later play for the Hawks for a season.

Reed’s sister, Madison, also followed in their parent’s footsteps and served as a guard for the Campbellsville University Tigers. Therefore, coming from a family of athletes, it would have been easy for Reed to figure out a career path!

During his time at North Laurel High School, which marked the beginning of his basketball aspirations, he went on to average 20.6 points in his freshman year. His stats increased by the time he was a sophomore, with the average score going up to 30.1 points. Despite receiving offers from Louisville and Virginia, Reed Sheppard chose to pursue his college career at the University of Kentucky. After all, as mentioned by his mother Stacey, “It’s in his blood.”

Donning the No. 15, just like dad, Sheppard played only 33 games in his sole season. He successfully averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 boards, and 4.5 assists. By the end of the year, he was named the SEC Freshman of the Year by the conference coaches and the National Freshman of the Year by both the USBWA and the NABC. All of this elevated his status as he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.