The Houston Rockets have gone from one of the worst teams in the NBA a few seasons ago to one of the best this year. The offseason addition of former MVP Kevin Durant certainly has helped their case, but improved play from players like Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard is undoubtedly a reason for their success as well.
Sheppard came to Kentucky as a four-star recruit and instantly felt at home. From Kentucky, Sheppard was a star during his lone season with John Calipari’s Wildcats. He was selected with the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Rockets, averaging 4.5 points per game in 51 games as a rookie.
His efficiency was praised at the collegiate level but was lost as a rookie. That’s been the most notable improvement in his second season in the NBA. He’s averaging 11.2 points per game and shooting 47.9% from deep. Over the last couple of games, Sheppard has turned it up a notch, averaging 16 points per game and shooting 8-for-13 from deep, and helped lead the Rockets’ second unit.
He played so well against the Bucks on Sunday that Durant took notice of the 21-year-old’s competitive edge and his ability to be the team’s ‘spark plug.’
Sheppard has the potential to be a major contributor for this Rockets team. With Fred VanVleet sidelined for the foreseeable future after an offseason injury, Sheppard’s role grew even more important.
The talent is there, and the opportunity is going to be there now as well. Hopefully Sheppard is able to capitalize on that as he continues to find his way at the highest level in basketball.