2024 NBA Draft: Breaking Down Houston Rockets Draft Class

The Houston Rockets have built a solid roster over the last two years as they have a good mix of young talent and proven veterans. The next step for them is putting it all together and looking to make the playoffs. The Rockets are hoping some of their younger players take the next step including their top draft pick.

Let’s dive into each selection they made and the summary of their draft.

No. 3: Reed Sheppard

The Rockets only had one draft pick this year and they elected to select Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky. Houston was one of the worst teams in the league in 3-point percentage so they ended up drafting one of the top shooters in the whole draft. Sheppard shot over 50% from behind the arc showcasing great consistency and accuracy. The 6-foot-3 guard is more than just a shooter as he does a great job of getting steals.

He has great instincts and ends up getting steals or deflections when jumping the passing lanes. Where Sheppard separates himself from most sharpshooters is that he’s a very good playmaker and has the ability to create open shots for teammates. The Kentucky native is a three-level scorer who has a great feel for the game and is seemingly always making the right play. The biggest area of concern for Sheppard is his struggles creating space from defenders. 

He doesn’t have an advanced handle and lacks burst off the dribble. Creating open looks for himself could be a major issue in the NBA. Thankfully he will be playing next to Amen Thompson who should thrive next to Sheppard. Thompson is a 6-foot-7 lead guard who is a special athlete with elite passing skills and consistently pressures the rim, but he struggles to shoot the ball particularly well. Sheppard has a very high floor so at the very least he should be a key contributor to a Rockets team trying to take the next step forward next season.

Two-way Rookie Signings

The Rockets only signed one rookie to a two-way contract and that’s N’Faly Dante out of Oregon. The 6-foot-11 center was very productive in his final year in college. He was a defensive playmaker for the Duck as he did a great job of altering shots around them by using his size, length and jumping ability. Dante is a lob threat at all times who excels as a screener and roller and being a play finisher around the rim. On the downside, he struggles to defend out in space, not particularly a versatile defender. He has struggled to stay healthy throughout his collegiate career so there are questions on if his body can hold up throughout an 82-game season. There’s a chance Dante ends up being a solid role player for an NBA team down the line as he has the tools to be a productive center in the NBA.

Draft Summary

Although Sheppard was the only draft pick for the Rockets this year they made clear improvements to their squad. They needed a lights out shooter and someone who could be a clear fit next to Thompson and they found that in Sheppard. The only downside about this roster is that there’s a lot of young talent and maybe too many mouths to feed so a year from today they might have to make tough decisions to open up minutes for a guy like Sheppard.

It’s almost certain that the Kentucky native will be a very good NBA player that has a long career in the league whether that's him being an elite role player or being a star guard in the NBA. The Dante free agent signing was quite underrated as there’s a real chance he can be a solid role player in the NBA. Overall this was a very good draft for the Rockets and all of the fans should be very excited for the future.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.