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Houston Rockets Land Potential Second Coming of Donte DiVincenzo in Expert’s 2024 NBA Mock Draft

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated 5/16/24

Although they did not make it to the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Houston Rockets made a huge turnaround from their 2022-23 campaign. That season, they only had 22 wins.

This season, they nearly doubled that with 41 victories to their name. To sustain that momentum while continuing to build for the future, Jonathan Givony of ESPN thinks that the Rockets should pick Kentucky Wildcats star Reed Sheppard with their No. 3 pick overall (via the Brooklyn Nets) in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Rockets turned the page on their rebuild by hiring coach Ime Udoka and making a splash in free agency last summer. Houston could look at plug-and-play options with this pick considering the youthful roster construction. Shooting will likely be a priority this summer, and the dynamic shot-making versatility of Sheppard — who made over 50% of his 3s this season — could be attractive, along with his feel for the game and defensive instincts. Expect Donovan Clingan to get a look here as well if the front office thinks he can play heavy minutes alongside Alperen Sengun in a multi-big-men lineups. — Jonathan Givony

Reed Sheppard to the Houston Rockets?

Sheppard, who has drawn comparisons with New York Knicks shooting guard and former Villanova Wildcats bucket-getter Donte DiVincenzo, is someone who could give the Houston Rockets a nice scoring boost from the backcourt.

In one season in Lexington, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points on 53.6 percent shooting from the field and 52.1 percent from behind the arc.

Those are incredible shooting splits from Sheppard, who can also get things done on the defensive end of the floor, having averaged 2.5 steals per game and 4.1 rebounds per contest with the Wildcats.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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