Good Sheppard: NBA’s No. 3 draft pick lights it up with 49 for Vipers in debut

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There were some fireworks on display at Bert Ogden Arena on Tuesday night.

They were provided by the Vipers’ Reed Sheppard.

Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick during the 2024 NBA draft, and the Houston Rockets’ top pick, electrified the crowd, his teammates and opponents despite the Oklahoma City Blue spoiling his G League debut with a 130-25 victory.

Reed, drafted out of Kentucky, scored 49 points – 44 coming in the final three quarters after a shaky start, just one day after arriving in the Rio Grande Valley on assignment from the Houston Rockets.

Reed had seen his minutes dwindle in Houston. After averaging about 3 points and 15 minutes of play time per game leading during the first 25 games of the NBA season, he played only nine minutes total of the Rockets previous five and didn’t take a single shot.

He played a game-high 36 minutes Tuesday, connected on 17-of-33 shots from the floor and was 8-for-19 from three-point land. Overall, the Vipers, who fell to 1-4 during the regular season, shot 48.0% from the floor and the Blue connected on 53.6 percent of their shots but were around 60% for most of the game until RGV picked up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter.

“It felt goof to be here and play with these guys and get some rust off,” Sheppard said. “In the first half it felt like I was dribbling and shooting a soccer ball My goal wasn’t to have 49 but to play basketball, get in the gym and be the best version of my I can be.”

Sheppard added that the call to send him to the Valley happened recently. He said he’s also expecting to head back to Houston to join his NBA team on Sunday morning.

“It doesn’t matter where I’m playing as long as I’m playing,” he said. “I wasn’t made or upset when they told me I was coming here. I was actually excited. Basketball is a fun but a tough game if you want to get better. The only way to get better is to play. You can work out all  you want but you’ve got to be playing, shooting, and getting in the gym.”

Sheppard was told after the game that several Rockets teammates were watching the game in Houston.

“That feels great to know that,” he said. “That’s my team and teammates.”

The Vipers and Blue return to action at Bert Ogden Arena at p.m. Thursday before a 7 p.m. game Saturday at home against Iowa.

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