Finally got some clock yesterday and was 0-8 from the field in 18 minutes. On the season he is shooting 32% from the field. I know he’s rich now but man, this team sure could have used him.
Reed
- Thread starter Wunky
- Start date
Let's face it, at this point, he's a bust. The third pick in the NBA draft is averaging 3 points/game and only getting 12 minutes/game.
Sure hope he turns it around. One of my favorite Cats.
Sure hope he turns it around. One of my favorite Cats.
The over- rush to the pro's often yields similar outcomes. The money would have been there in another year or two just as well.
Definitely would be best player on this year's UK team by a wide gulf margin. He's the type of high level talent this team is missing.
I do not blame him for going pro though. He is secured financially and will do well in whatever he does post basketball.
I do not blame him for going pro though. He is secured financially and will do well in whatever he does post basketball.
Calling someone a “bust” only a couple months into his rookie season is absurd.
I know knee-jerk overreactions is what we do on message boards, but you might wanna ease up on that one. His career has barely even begun yet.
Slice it anyway you want, but the 3 pick of a draft should be producing more. I would love to have him at Kentucky right now.
He way over performed last season. He was underrated going into the year and vastly overrated when the season ended. The truth is he was motivated to play for his homeschool. That brought out the best in him. Now he’s a 19 year old kid playing for Houston? If he had gone to va or another school other than uk he would have been a 3 year player.
He had the chance to be a king. He is rich that’s for sure. And nobody could ever blame someone for making that decision.
The kid was born to play for Kentucky. I miss him like all UK fans.
The kid was born to play for Kentucky. I miss him like all UK fans.
But think about it. How many end up doing well in his situation? Rarely any. Then it becomes harder & harder as confidence gets lower & lower. When guys are not ready, and Sheppard was not, it most of the time ends up destroying their career. I hope I'm wrong & he ends up killing it.
Now maybe the same would've happened regardless of when he went to the league & maybe he did indeed get the most money while he could. It may have been the best decision. We'll never really know.
That's why I said "at this point." But I get what you're saying.
There are a lot of players drafted high when they are to young.
You know the Rockets will pick up the third year option so he's going to bank 30 mill before he's 22.
He's the type of player that will be very valuable when he gets stronger and matures in the league because of his bball IQ and he can fit well in many types of offensive schemes.
Give him 7 years in the league and he will school young bucks coming into the league.
You know the Rockets will pick up the third year option so he's going to bank 30 mill before he's 22.
He's the type of player that will be very valuable when he gets stronger and matures in the league because of his bball IQ and he can fit well in many types of offensive schemes.
Give him 7 years in the league and he will school young bucks coming into the league.
First round money is first round money. If he had not been spectacular his sophomore year...and possibly that is so...he would have just been rich, not ridiculous rich.
Not good, I hope I didn't get his Houston Rockets jersey just to see him traded in a year for someone else.
I do wonder about the size and speed of the NBA. Sometimes that rattled him at Kentucky, and it was my biggest concern with him going to the NBA: Was he just maybe not athletic, tall, and strong enough to make a career in the NBA work, when pretty much everyone is 6-3 or taller? It's a lot like Jimmer Fredette, he could play at any level and dominate, but in the NBA, his lack of peak athleticism made his game almost nullified.
Doesn't matter how good your shot is, or how smart of a player you are, if you can't feasibly make these moves or get your shot off against lengthier and faster defenders.
I do wonder about the size and speed of the NBA. Sometimes that rattled him at Kentucky, and it was my biggest concern with him going to the NBA: Was he just maybe not athletic, tall, and strong enough to make a career in the NBA work, when pretty much everyone is 6-3 or taller? It's a lot like Jimmer Fredette, he could play at any level and dominate, but in the NBA, his lack of peak athleticism made his game almost nullified.
Doesn't matter how good your shot is, or how smart of a player you are, if you can't feasibly make these moves or get your shot off against lengthier and faster defenders.
That is what I kept saying in the spring. That just because a team (or teams) are willing to draft you early does NOT MEAN that you are ready to contribute at that level quickly. And that the money will be there regardless, even if your draft stock falls some. Would his NIL have completely made up for what he could earn in the NBA? No!!! But it would have been enough to make it much easier. The goal of Reed or any future NBA player should not be to get drafted, or even to get drafted as high as possible. It should be to be ready-enough going-in so that once your first (3yr) contract is up, you are near or approaching your ceiling to maximize that 2nd contract. The 2nd contract is where the huge $$s are. Reed needed to work on his defense, and to be able to "go get a bucket" when the team needs it.
But it's way too early to say he is a "bust" yet or not. That will come with how patient the Rockets are, and is he willing to put in the work (which I do not doubt). I think he would benefit from being send down to the G-league.
I mean who is surprised? I kept saying that there wasn't anyone in the NBA he could guard. I won't jump on a bust label yet but really felt like the Rockets were reaching by drafting him third. Hope he gets better.
Many people live their lives only seeing dollar signs. He gave up what would’ve been THE most special year of his life, something that no amount of money can buy, to ride the pine in Houston while showing that he wasn’t really ready to go to begin with. I said when he went that he’ll look back in 15 years and wish he had stayed. He would’ve been rich either way…but you can’t buy what he is missing out on this year.
He looked very dominant in the preseason against younger NBA players so hopefully that means it’ll just take sometime to get adjusted to the league. Way too soon to call a bust.
In hindsight, he got drafted to a bad situation for his personal playing time. The Rockets are quite good now. Who would have ever thought they would be second place in the West? Rookies rarely get much playing time on that kind of team unless they are elite.
They are also hanging their hats on the defensive end, no surprise given their coach is Ime Udoka. And Reed Sheppard wasn't exactly particularly notable on the defensive end outside of steals.
On a good team that features Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks all averaging at least 31.6 minutes a game and rarely missing a game, there's not exactly many minutes to go around at the guard spots for a plane who is weak defensively.
They are also hanging their hats on the defensive end, no surprise given their coach is Ime Udoka. And Reed Sheppard wasn't exactly particularly notable on the defensive end outside of steals.
On a good team that features Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks all averaging at least 31.6 minutes a game and rarely missing a game, there's not exactly many minutes to go around at the guard spots for a plane who is weak defensively.
I wanted him to stay bad. Yes it would have been very special for him to come back. But you cannot turn down that kind of money. Anyone casting stones at him for doing that, guess that’s easy to do for some.
He was drafted on potential. He was never gonna be ready day one. He needs to get stronger. My friend who knows Im a Kentucky fan texted me that he was at the Maverick Rockets game and some kid from UK hit something like 20 3s in a row right in front of him in warm ups.
It was a bad fit for him in Houston! They’re guard heavy and in a rebuild…
It doesn’t help that he has Fred Vanvleet, Jalen Green , Amen Thompson(stud) at the guard spot . He’s barely played for most of the season . It’s not like he’s putting up those numbers while playing alot of minutes .
His lack of size and inability to guard are issues. Rockets have a really good coach. Getting nothing out of their number one draft pick and are better than last year.
Reed will be fine and have a long NBA career because he can play the point. There's just players in front of him now and Houston is trying to win now. Not develop.
Dillingham is going to have a harder row. He can't play point.
Dillingham is going to have a harder row. He can't play point.
Not gonna call him a bust a third of the way through his rookie season. No he isn’t playing at the level his draft pick would have indicated yet but he’s still just a rookie. Lots of our guys didn’t make their big splashes till after a year or two in the league. Remember he’s just a little over a year removed from High School.
Its easy to say in hindsight maybe he should have stayed another year or so.
But honestly, who knows...........the same exact thing could have happened had he stayed a year. Who knows.
But honestly, who knows...........the same exact thing could have happened had he stayed a year. Who knows.
I'm actually more surprised that Dillingham is a non-factor.
Who else do you consider a "KING" and where are they now? Just wondering.
Maybe a stint in the G-League so he can get clock and game reps would help him. Maybe gain some confidence. G-League is a lot better than Pine League.
Maybe part of his adjustment to the league is he’s getting good coaching?
Some players take longer to hit their stride. A good example is Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold. I know it’s a different sport but he was a highly drafted QB out of college. This is his 7th year in the NFL and he’s on his 4th team. He’s having a career year and will be a highly sought after free agent after this season.
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3rd pick in the draft is usually making an impact on their team their rookie year. A guy like shep with his min and production is more what you would get from a late lottery pick. Potential. But last years draft was so weak and guys out of high school on that class were misjudged.
Same, I thought he was the perfect backup PG for Conley who has a lot of miles on the odometer. Timberwolves have taken a step back this season.
But he was not the 3rd pick in a normal draft. Instead, last year’s draft pool was considered to be one of the weakest ever. Especially at the top end, there simply were no prospects in last year’s draft of the caliber that we normally associate with the top three picks.
Reed would not have been the 3rd pick nearly any other year. So I don’t think it fair to expect him to perform the same as did the 3rd picks in stronger drafts.
I compare him to a guy like Tyrese Maxey. Maxey has developed into an all star but it wasn’t instant. Shep should be OK. He is skilled, athletic and knows how to play the game.
Really? That dude hurt UK as much as be helped last year. Streaky with a bad basketball IQ.
Wasn't part of the reason he went because it was a historically weak draft so that helped him get picked 3rd? I have a feeling he will end up being a great player in the NBA but I think we all figured it would take some time to get there.
Staying a UK another year might not have made any difference or he might have gotten injured and never played the same. We can all agree that it is reasonable not to risk it.
Staying a UK another year might not have made any difference or he might have gotten injured and never played the same. We can all agree that it is reasonable not to risk it.