The Houston Rockets decided to send rookie guard Reed Sheppard to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their G League affiliate team. In his first game, he reminded everyone why he was the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Tuesday night, the 20-year-old from the University of Kentucky put up video game numbers in his G League debut against the Oklahoma City Blue. He scored 49 points, six assists and five rebounds, shooting 52% from the field and 42% from 3-point range.
The performance showed exactly why the Rockets decided to send their top-pick to the developmental league.
The Rockets’ success in the first half of the NBA season has kept Sheppard from getting consistent minutes. When he has been on the floor, he hasn’t been able to find his rhythm shooting the ball.
In the 2024-25 season, he has averaged just 3.3 points on just under four field goal attempts per game. With 49 points on 33 field goal attempts in his G League debut, it’s clear the Rockets intended to take the leash off and let Reed go crazy. He did, and he flourished in that situation.
As Sheppard was burying shots in McAllen, Texas, his Rockets teammates were over 1,700 miles away, cruising to a 135-112 victory over the Washington Wizards. The win lifts Houston to a 24-12 record on the season, good for the second-best record in a highly competitive Western Conference.
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