Rockets Land 3rd Pick in 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, Fans Eye Kentucky's Reed Sheppard

The Houston Rockets will be selecting third in the 2024 NBA Draft.

It wasn't expected to be the case, as Houston had just a 5.23 percent chance of moving up to the No. 3 pick from the original spot of No. 9. Alas, it was simply meant to be for the Houston faithful.

It's the fourth consecutive year that the Rockets will be drafting in the top four of the draft, although it is the first time that the franchise has moved up for the selection, as the previous three seasons saw the team drop down to a lower pick.It is also notably the pick that Houston received from the Brooklyn Nets from the 2021 James Harden trade.

The selection will add to the young core the team is developing around Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green, as well as free agent pickups Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. The pick will also join a team that is in a slightly better position than others in the top end of the draft, as it 41-41 and finished just outside of the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.

Fans took to social media to celebrate the success in the lottery and urge the team to select Kentucky guard Reed Shepherd with the pick.

Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 33 games for Kentucky in 2023-24, helping the team to a 23-10 record and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Whether Houston adds Sheppard or another top talent, the lottery luck should help the team take another step towards reaching the postseason again. Houston has failed to reach the playoffs since the 2019-20 season.

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is set to take place June 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.