Reed Sheppard is carving out a name for himself in Houston - and he’s doing it with a blueprint that’s as timeless as it is effective. Undersized by NBA standards but undeterred, the 21-year-old guard is turning heads in his second season with the Rockets, showing poise, vision, and a feel for the game that belies his age.
So who helped shape that on-court IQ? Sheppard didn’t hesitate when asked on The Young Man and The Three podcast: Chris Paul.
“Chris Paul has always been one of my favorite players,” Sheppard said. “Just the way he can control the game with his pace.
I like watching the way he moves, and the reads he makes. I’ve always been a fan.”
It tracks. Paul, despite standing just six feet tall, built a Hall of Fame résumé on the back of elite decision-making, surgical precision, and a basketball brain that always seemed two steps ahead.
He didn’t just play the game - he dictated it. And for a young guard like Sheppard, who’s similarly undersized and looking to make his mark, there’s no better model to study.
Paul’s fingerprints are all over NBA history, but Houston fans remember his 2017-18 season especially well. That year, Paul helped lead the Rockets to a franchise-best 65-17 record, blending perfectly with James Harden to push the Warriors to the brink in the Western Conference Finals. It was a masterclass in veteran leadership and game management - the kind of season that sticks with a young player trying to learn how to win.
Sheppard knows he’s still in the early chapters of his NBA story, but he’s already showing signs of being a high-IQ, high-impact contributor. Through the first chunk of the 2025-26 season, Sheppard is averaging 12.9 points, 3.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 25.2 minutes per game. He’s also shooting a blistering 43.7% from three - a number that jumps off the page, especially for a second-year guard still finding his rhythm at the pro level.
Those numbers aren’t just empty calories, either. Sheppard is doing this in a meaningful role for a Rockets team that’s 16-7 and firmly in the mix near the top of the Western Conference.
He’s not just logging minutes - he’s helping Houston win games. And he’s doing it with the kind of poise and polish that suggests he’s absorbing more than just box scores and highlight reels.
As for Paul, now 40 and weighing his options for what may be his final NBA stop, a Houston reunion seems unlikely. The Rockets already have depth at the point guard spot, with Sheppard and Aaron Holiday both proving they can hold down the backup role behind the starters. But Paul’s legacy in Houston - and across the league - clearly still resonates.
Just ask Sheppard. He’s not trying to be Chris Paul, but he’s learning from him. And if what we’ve seen so far is any indication, he’s putting those lessons to good use.