Reed Sheppard Is The Real Deal - Scores 23 In NBA Summer League Opener

The number 3 overall pick, Reed Sheppard, showed up in front of 19,000 fans at the NBA Las Vegas Summer League and stole the show from Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers as he led his Houston Rockets summer league team to a 99-80 win at a sold-out Thomas & Mack Center.

Sheppard finished the night with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds, and three blocks in the win. He started the game with 6 points in the first half and then exploded in the third quarter, hitting deep 3s and schooling players off the dribble.

"It was good to get out again and start to compete and play with different guys," Sheppard said after the game. "We had a good week in practice, so just to get out and go against another team was a lot of fun."

THE UNDERRATED OPINION
While many of the 19,000 fans showed up to watch Bronny who scored 8 points in the game, the difference between Sheppard and James was clear to everyone who saw the game. Sheppard appears ready to play now, while James has some work to do.

To be fair, Bronny James is going to be a project. That's not to say he won't be successful; it will just take him more time to develop than Sheppard, who clearly has enough game to hang in the NBA today. It's important to note this was just one game in Summer League - but it is safe to say that Sheppard's Light is on, and he will most likely become a valuable piece of the Rockets mix during his rookie season.