Sept. 1, 2026, 12:03 p.m. CT
An ESPN poll of NBA insiders predicted award winners for the 2026-27 season.Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was voted as a top candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.Sheppard ranked fourth in the poll behind fellow Western Conference guards Alex Caruso, Dylan Harper, and Ajay Mitchell.Teammate Amen Thompson was also named as a top candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
NBA insiders from ESPN recently conducted a poll, predicting award winners for the 2026-27 season. These predictions included two Houston Rockets players, including Amen Thompson, who is seen as a top Defensive Player of the Year Award candidate. The other Rockets guard listed as a front-runner for an award was former No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard.
Sheppard was voted as the fourth-most likely to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award, behind three other Western Conference guards: Alex Caruso, Dylan Harper and Ajay Mitchell. In extended minutes last season, Sheppard averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks. Sheppard also shot quite well, finishing the year with career-high numbers from the field (43%) and from beyond the arc (39.4%). While it may be difficult for Sheppard to outduel the competitors listed ahead of him, the former Kentucky guard should be one of the leaders of head coach Ime Udoka’s second unit. With the return of Fred VanVleet and the addition of Marcus Smart, Sheppard will be able to play in a comfortable role as an off-ball scorer.
For more NBA content, check out the BasketBaltes podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/@BasketBaltes/videos
https://www.instagram.com/basketbaltes/
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!