Reed Sheppard’s rookie season with the Houston Rockets came and went with barely a ripple. A top-three pick out of Kentucky, he spent most of last year watching from the bench, learning, adjusting, waiting. So when Fred VanVleet went down before this season even tipped off, leaving a gaping hole at point guard, the spotlight swung quickly - and maybe a little uncomfortably - onto Sheppard.
Was he ready? That was the question circling through Houston and around the league.
Now, a few months into the season, we’ve got our answer: yes, and then some.
Sheppard has stepped into the role with a poise that belies his experience. He’s not just surviving - he’s contributing in meaningful ways.
Averaging 13 points per game, shooting better than 40% from deep, and snagging 1.4 steals a night, Sheppard has become a legitimate two-way presence off the bench. And when the Rockets needed a spark in Tuesday’s comeback win over San Antonio, he delivered 21 points and a whole lot of energy.
This isn’t a case of a team being forced to play a young guy and just hoping for the best. Houston’s patience is paying off. They didn’t rush him last year, and now they’re reaping the benefits of that developmental runway.
An Eastern Conference scout captured the sentiment around the league: “People wrote him off way too early. I think people are starting to respect him more, but people poked too many holes in his game. He can play.”
That’s becoming clear with each passing game.
What’s helping Sheppard flourish is the structure around him. The Rockets aren’t asking him to be the primary initiator every time down the floor.
With Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun both capable of running the offense in their own ways - Thompson with his downhill explosiveness, Sengun with his Jokic-lite playmaking from the post - Sheppard can pick his spots. He doesn’t have to force the issue.
He can play within the flow, which suits his skill set perfectly.
And when he’s in rhythm, you see the full package: the confident shooting stroke, the defensive instincts, the feel for the game that made him such a high draft pick in the first place.
Houston’s offense is dynamic and increasingly difficult to guard, and Sheppard is starting to look like a key piece in that puzzle. He’s not the focal point, but he doesn’t need to be. What he is, right now, is a steady, impactful contributor - and for a second-year guard thrust into a big role, that’s a huge win for both him and the Rockets.
Bottom line: the kid can play. And Houston’s future just got a little brighter because of it.