Reid Shepard wasn't supposed to be a one-and-done prospect, but his freshman season at the University of Kentucky was so good that he vaulted to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. of houston rockets Shepard was chosen for his knockdown shooting, strong game feel and sharp hands that specialize in forcing turnovers. He's struggling to earn rotation time on a deep and talented Rockets team to start his rookie year, but his special play with that team is why he was drafted so high. I reminded everyone what happened. portland trail blazers on Friday night.
When the Rockets were dominating the Blazers in the third quarter, Shepard stripped Ryan Rupert on a drive to the basket, chased the loose ball, and fired a behind-the-back pass while diving into the stands, perfect for the basket. I landed on. He made an easy dunk off the hands of teammate Tali Eason. Watch the play here:
Shepard is small for an NBA player at 6'2 with a 6'3 wingspan, but he excels in many areas to overcome his lack of size. This play is a good example of that.
While this isn't quite as good as DeMar DeRozan's rotational assist from last season, it feels like one of the best passes of the year, made even better by the great defensive play at the beginning of the sequence.
It would be fun if Shepard got more minutes, but either way the Rockets are playing great ball right now. As he gets more minutes, these highlight reel plays will only increase.
