The NBA season is right around the corner, and the preseason games are officially underway. This is the first opportunity to see the rookies in action outside of the summer league.
Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick for the Houston Rockets, is one player generating a lot of attention in his rookie season. Sheppard, a standout in his one season at the University of Kentucky, averaged 12.5 points per game while shooting an impressive 52.1% from the three-point line.
Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh is fully endorsing Sheppard’s potential. He believes Sheppard is the closest thing we’ve seen to NBA superstar Stephen Curry in a long time.
“He is not Steph Curry, but I think he is the closest thing to Steph Curry that we’ve seen in a long time,” Haberstroh said on “The Kevin O’Connor Show.”
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) dribbles around Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (12).
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Haberstroh mentioned that he feels Sheppard is the best player in the class. However, he isn’t sure if he will get much of an opportunity to showcase that talent. Haberstroh worries about Sheppard being behind veteran Fred VanVleet.
According to BetMGM, Sheppard has the second-best odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year. However, Haberstroh isn’t betting on him to win the award because he feels he will lack opportunities. He feels it would take a trade for him to really have a shot.
Still, it is high praise to compare a rookie to one of the greatest shooters and players of all time.
