LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – In some ways, it was like any other game. Reed Sheppard stepped onto the court (this time as a starter for the first time since Feb. 10). His mom (Stacey) and dad (Jeff) were in the stands. He dished out some nifty assists. He shot with great accuracy from deep (4-6 from three-point range). He rebounded.
The difference Friday night was that when Sheppard stepped off the court in Las Vegas, he was the No. 2 scorer – and No. 1 shot blocker -- in the NBA Summer League. In his NBA summer debut, Sheppard finished with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and three blocked shots in a 99-80 Houston Rockets victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. (Former Tennessee rival Dalton Knecht had 25 in the game).
About the only difference from your average night in Rupp Arena was Sheppard was wearing red. No matter, everything Sheppard would do on this night was the color of money. He had four turnovers – the result of some aggressive passing – but beyond that there was little not to like.
“So far, it’s all been great, just the competition and being out here with my teammates,” Sheppard told ESPN. “You know, we've had a really good week of practice and it's just been super fun. And now being able to get out and compete and play against some other teams. It was a lot of fun.”
Reed Sheppard ladies and gentlemen 😮💨🍿@reed_sheppard pic.twitter.com/xUCZlvkKMF
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) July 13, 2024
Playing alongside Cam Whitmore, who was the MVP of the Summer League last year, Sheppard drew a few “oohs” and “ahhs,” including a straightaway three from the “R” of the midcourt “Summer League” logo and a couple of hesitation dribbles in going by Knecht before hitting a floater in the lane. He also found Whitmore on a lob that he said few others would’ve salvaged.
“(Whitmore) said just play loose,” Sheppard said. “It was like, just go in and have fun and do what you do. Cam’s an unbelievable player -- he saved me when I threw a lot short and he put his head above the rim to go get it. He’s just a really good player who knows how to play, so I can’t wait to keep playing with him.”
Houston head coach Ime Udoka told ESPN, “I like his all-around game. I think, IQ, you know, obviously the shooting stands out but he’s very competitive has a great IQ. I talk about his parents all the time, you know their background, right, so you know what he's been taught his whole life and career, and you see what he’s doing today.”
ESPN even retrieved his parents from the stands for a quick stats, just as their son seemed to come alive in the third quarter.
“Well, we didn't want to miss it,” Stacey Sheppard told ESPN. “You know, this is a big moment for Reed and a big moment for our family and being here for his first summer league game and his first NBA experience just to be here and sharing it with him. We wanted to be here for him and just bounce things off from the game."
Jeff Sheppard said his son has made progress in the short time from the draft until now.
“Stacey and I were actually talking about that, from the time his college season was over until today, everybody whose had their hands on him has done a great job teaching him new nuances about this game at this level,” he told ESPN. “He’s catching on a little bit. He’s got a long way to go, but we’re very thankful and excited.”
Asked about his influence on Reed, Jeff Sheppard said, “I think God deserves the most credit. He’s given him so many gifts and he loves to play, he has fun, he plays with a joy. We've worked hard and spent time in the gym with him and Stacey, especially, traveled all over the country with AAU ball games and high school games and in college. And here we are, truly a dream come true.”
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
