No. 3 overall pick signs rookie-scale contract with Rockets

Guard Reed Sheppard has signed his rookie-scale contract with the Rockets, according to the NBA transactions log.

The third overall pick in the draft, Sheppard will make $10,098,960 in his first year, assuming the usual 120% of the rookie-scale figure given out by most teams to first-rounders. He’s due to make $45,853,024 in his first four years in the NBA.

Sheppard is the highest pick in this year’s draft thus far to sign his rookie deal.

Rookie-scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.

Sheppard wasn’t even a starter in his lone college season at Kentucky, but he averaged 28.9 minutes per game as the Wildcats’ sixth man and impressed NBA evaluators with his shooting, playmaking and good hands on defense.

In 33 games, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest while making 53.6% of his field goals, including 52.1% of his three-point tries. He also shot 83.1% from the free-throw line.