UK’s Reed Sheppard arrives in Houston. What’s his role with Rockets? Start with ‘sniper.’

Reed Sheppard is joining a Houston Rockets team on the rise, and the former University of Kentucky and North Laurel High School basketball star can think of no place he’d rather be.

“I can’t wait to get here and call Houston my new home and get the season started,” Sheppard said during his introductory press conference as a rookie with the Rockets on Tuesday. Houston chose the one-and-done college standout with the No. 3 overall pick in last week’s NBA draft.

“I’m super excited to be in the position I’m in and coming into a young team that did have a really good season last year and they did have a lot of really good young guys,” Sheppard said. “I’m just coming in excited, I’m not expecting anything. So I’m gonna come in and help the team in whatever way I can. I don’t want to come in and make things harder for anyone. I want to come in and play my role and do whatever it takes to help the team, whether that’s shooting, whether that’s getting in the paint and kicking it out and getting some movement, whatever it is just being that guy that’ll do whatever it takes to win and whatever the team needs. I’m really excited. I think it will be a really fun group to play with so I can’t wait to get started.”

The Rockets finished 41-41 last season, narrowly missing out on the NBA playoffs but earning the right to select Sheppard in the draft lottery as a result.

Houston’s roster boasts several high draft picks from recent seasons, the “really good young guys” Sheppard referenced. Among them are Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore. The Rockets blend in a veteran presence for head coach Ime Udoka that includes Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Aaron Holiday.

Where will Sheppard, two years removed from high school and having just turned 20 years old, fit on such a roster of pros?

Udoka had some thoughts Tuesday.

“You’ll earn what you get,” Houston’s head coach said. “I think you saw that last year for the most part. We understand we’re in a winning situation but also developing young guys and they’ll get a chance to get out there and play. I count on something Reed said earlier. I do want him to make it tougher on others. I want him to make it tougher on myself and the coaching staff to make decisions.

“You’re going to come and play and get the playing time that you earn, basically, and I think you saw that last year. We implemented some good veterans but the young guys, the core of this team, was what was going to elevate us and push us going forward, so Reed is in the same situation as the previous six draft picks. Come in and compete and guys will get what they earn. You’ve seen it, starting isn’t that important. It’s who finishes the games, who is playing well, and that’s what I kind of stand on.”

One thought on the minds of the assembled media in Houston on Tuesday was whether Sheppard would have to spend time in the NBA’s developmental G League.

“I don’t think I go in with any pre-determined plan as far as going to the G League or not,” Udoka said. “Obviously last year was beneficial for guys … It’s an added benefit we can use if need be, but in a perfect world we’d love for Reed to jump into the rotation and be a big part of it and never have to see the G League … We’ll wait to see what happens as far as that goes but we’d love to not have to do it at all, and I’m sure he would too.”

Kentucky fans will be able to get their first look at Sheppard as a pro on July 12 when the Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) on opening night of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Udoka mentioned several times Tuesday his respect for Sheppard’s basketball skill and IQ and already has thoughts about how to incorporate the rookie into Houston’s rotation.

“Not saying we didn’t have a sniper on our team last year. Guys improved in that area. (Sheppard’s three-point shooting ability) is obviously an added bonus to us. We can draw up a lot of different things to use a guy with his skill set. The range. The focus that he brings on the court due to his shooting ability will open up a lot of things. … It will take a little time to get used to the NBA game but the range, the IQ, that stuff translates well from high school to college, from college to now, and we don’t anticipate it taking a ton of time, but what he does so well it opens up the playbook and will put pressure on other guys to improve in that area as well.”

Sheppard has big plans of his own. When asked what a successful pro career would look like for him, the rookie didn’t blink.

“Obviously, win a championship. I mean, I think that’s the main goal as a basketball player is you want to win at the highest level, and you want to be the champion. At the end of the day being a guy that everyone looks at and knows he played really hard. He played with a lot of positivity. He was a good teammate. He was a good person off the court.

“You know, I don’t want to be known as just a basketball player. I think it’s very important to get out into the community, interact with the fans and have good relationships with your teammates and the coaches and the front office and everyone in Houston, and just being that good team and community guy that looking back in 20 years they’re not like, ‘Oh, he just played basketball.’ He was a winner. He was a competitor. But also, he was a good person.”

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