DRAFT SZN
Houston Rockets add elite shooter by taking Kentucky's Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall
Jun 26, 2024, 8:56 pm
The Rockets selected Reed Sheppard. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images.
The Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard with the third overall pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, adding an elite long-range shooter to their young team.
The guard, who spent one season at Kentucky, was the first American taken in this year's draft after French players Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr were selected by Atlanta and Washington with the top two picks.
Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals while appearing in 33 games for the Wildcats. He shot 52.1% from 3-point range and made 83.1% of his free throws. He was the only player in the nation last season to have at least 145 assists, 80 steals and make at least 75 3-pointers.
Got our guy đź‘Ź@reed_sheppard | #Rockets pic.twitter.com/0u20ejZczL
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) June 27, 2024
Sheppard became the second player in school history to have at least 80 steals in a season despite starting just five games. It’s the 17th consecutive year that Kentucky has had at least one player selected in the NBA draft.
At 6-foot-2 and 182 pounds, Sheppard is among the smallest players in this year's draft, but is also thought by many draft analysts to be the best shooter. He turned 20 on Monday.
Sheppard is the latest high draft pick to join the rebuilding Rockets in recent years. They took Amen Thompson fourth last year after adding Jabari Smith Jr. with the third pick in 2022 and Jalen Green second in 2021.
The Rockets missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season this year but made a significant jump in their first year under coach Ime Udoka after adding veterans Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. Houston went 41-41 after winning just 17, 20 and 22 games in the previous three seasons.
.@Reed_sheppard 🤝 @JalenGreen #NBADraft | #Rockets pic.twitter.com/WkOdNXbCZs
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) June 27, 2024
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.