“I’m really proud of him”: Wildcats’ coach Tyler Ulis gives nod of approval to Reed Sheppard’s association with Rockets
Former Kentucky combo guard Reed Sheppard has been firing on all cylinders for the Houston Rockets in the 2024 NBA Summer League. Tyler Ulis, Sheppard's assistant coach at UK, was out in Las Vegas to witness his impressive displays.
Ulis, a Kentucky alum once dubbed as the future star of basketball, saw his career ruined by injuries and a life-threatening car accident. Last season, he served as a student assistant coach for the Wildcats under John Calipari and will be joining Calipari at Arkansas as his assistant next season.
While in Sin City last weekend, Ulis talked about his excitement to see his players in big games. In an interview with On3, he said:
"I feel like I reaped the benefits when I got to see those guys play in Vegas. I just left Vegas, saw Reed play up close... I haven't really seen all the hype about it, but I was courtside and watched him play [in Vegas]. I’m not surprised," Ulis said.
"I've been the biggest Reed fan since he got on campus and I'm really proud of him. I'm really proud of what he’s doing and I can’t wait to see what he does from here on out," he added.
Reed Sheppard, who spent a season at Kentucky, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. He agreed to a rookie contract with the team on July 3, 2024.
4-time NBA All-Star praises Reed Sheppard's early start to his professional career
Reed Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 London, Kentucky native, is showcasing his best in the 2024 Summer League, with discussions already emerging about him being the best player in the tournament.
Former Golden State Warriors guard Mark Price also praised Sheppard's skill sets on X/Twitter, noting that the Rockets' rookie could be a future star:
"I just watched some highlights of Reed Sheppard at NBA Summer League! He sure reminds me of a former NBA all star. This young man has a bright future!" Price tweeted on Monday.
In his first game wearing a Houston Rockets jersey – in Game 1 of the Summer League against the Los Angeles Lakers – Sheppard managed 23 points, five rebounds and four assists to secure a 99-80 win. Three games in, his stats read 20.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.7 apg and 3.0 spg.
Besides this, there has also been talk of Sheppard winning the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year. FanDuel places him as the second favorite to win the ROTY, with odds of +700, only behind the Grizzlies' Zach Edey, who is at +600.