In recent weeks, second-year guard Reed Sheppard has drawn national attention as a candidate to fill some of the point-guard minutes that previously belonged to veteran Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL tear).

But while under the radar, the Houston Rockets also brought in another young guard who could perhaps figure into the equation.

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JD Davison, Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA G League last season, signed a two-way contract with the Rockets this offseason after being released by Boston as part of cost-cutting moves.

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, the 23-year-old has enough size and strength to appeal to head coach Ime Udoka, who wants strong defense to be the foundation of his teams.

When asked at Saturday’s training camp practice about Davison’s play, Udoka told Rockets Wire’s Ben DuBose:

He’s been great. Very aggressive, handles well, makes good decisions out of the pick and roll. He’s a big body who can pick up full court, so he brings aggression on both sides of the ball.”

You can see what he’s done in the past, I had him briefly in Boston (as head coach of the 2021-22 Celtics), so I know who he is.

He’s taken advantage of the opportunity and the extra reps here.

He makes the right decisions, whether it’s to score or making the right read. Like I said, he’s a big body who can get downhill. Very athletic. Slashes well off the ball. So yeah, he’s been great. He doesn’t just have to play on the ball, either. He’s big enough to guard twos and can play off the ball and off these other guys. He’s been really good so far.

In 30 games for the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate, Davison averaged 25.1 points (48.3% FG, 33.6% on 3-pointers), 7.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game last season. He was subsequently named MVP of the 2024-25 season.

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Now, with VanVleet sidelined, Davison — a second-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft after playing in college at Alabama — has a clear path in Houston to try and show that his G League play can translate to the NBA level.

Houston’s four-game exhibition slate begins Monday night at home versus Atlanta (7:00 p.m. Central tipoff on Space City Home Network), and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Davison gets a real opportunity to show what he can do.

More: Rockets sign JD Davison, Isaiah Crawford to two-way contracts

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: With point-guard minutes open, Rockets encouraged by JD Davison’s play