Former Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard has been selected to participate in the Rising Stars event which will take place on Friday, Feb. 14 as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.
Sheppard has appeared in 32 games for the Houston Rockets this season.
Here is an excerpt of the news release from NBA.com:
Sheppard has appeared in 32 games for the Rockets this season. He was named G League Player of the Week for games played from Jan. 6-12 and scored a G League season-high 49 points in his debut. In three games during his assignment, Sheppard averaged 30.7 ppg, 8.0 apg, 4.7 rpg and 2.7 spg while shooting 40.5% from 3-point range. [Season Video Highlights]
The 20-year-old is one of two rookies to have appeared in least 20 games this season who averaging at least 1.5 3-pointers made and 1.50 steals per 36 minutes played. He is also tied for the fourth-lowest defensive field goal percentage (.420) of any rookie with at least 20 games played.
Sheppard earned All-Summer League First Team honors at the 2024 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas after averaging 20.5 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.8 rpg, 2.8 spg and 1.3 bpg while shooting 50.0% from the floor.
Castrol Rising Stars is the league’s annual showcase of premier young talent and features a mini-tournament with four teams and three games. The champion will earn a spot to play in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game’s new mini-tournament format on Sunday, Feb. 16.
The Castrol Rising Stars player pool consists of 10 NBA rookies, 11 NBA sophomores and seven NBA G League players. Thompson was one of the 21 NBA players selected by league assistant coaches who will be drafted onto three seven-player teams. The seven NBA G League players, which includes Sheppard, were selected by the league office and will comprise the fourth team.
The Rising Stars Draft will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. CT on the NBA App and on social platforms. The three teams of NBA players will be drafted by honorary head coaches, who will be announced at a later date.
