'Game recognizes game': Reed Sheppard has NBA All-Stars talking about his Summer League performances

The former Kentucky guard has been terrific through his first few games of NBA Summer League action.
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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Reed Sheppard has put the NBA on notice in just a few Summer League games -- with multiple standout performances for the former Kentucky basketball guard.

Shapprd dazzled in his debut on Friday night as he finished with 23 points on 9-of-17 from the floor and added four rebounds and five assists. All of the talk was 'Reed Sheppard is too good for the Summer League'.

Then, he followed up his debut with another terrific performance. On Friday, Sheppard had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, six rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

So, through two games, he was averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game

And that when he started to get some NBA All-Stars talking ... yes, just two games into his professional career. And, in the Summer League nonetheless.

Trae Young took to social media on Friday and said, "Reed Sheppard nice y’all !!". Ja Morant followed up with two exclamation points in response to Young's tweet.

"Game recognize game," Young later said when he was asked about his original tweet.

As for Sheppard's response?

"That's really cool," Sheppard said in response. "The last couple of years I've grown up watching them in the NBA and think they're tremendous players."

He finished with 16 points and five rebounds on Monday night in his third game of the summer.

Sheppard, who was the third overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, played just one season at Kentucky and became the highest-selected Wildcat since 2017. 

Entering Summer League play, Sheppard was given the fifth highest odds to win Rookie of the Year. After two games, those odds are likely to keep improving.

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