Rockets' Reed Sheppard has taken Summer League by storm

Taken with the third overall pick by the Houston Rockets, former Kentucky star Reed Sheppard has already impressed NBA fans and analysts with his shooting and his playmaking.

Sheppard played the first three games in Vegas alongside Cam Whitmore, last year's Summer League MVP. However, after Whitmore was shut down following the Rockets’ loss to the Pistons on Monday night, Sheppard has shouldered much of the offensive burden for the otherwise barren Rockets roster.

Receiving wide acclaim for his first two performances, Sheppard’s debut against the Lakers showcased his incredible accuracy from behind the three-point line and his defensive prowess. He tallied 23 points in that game, shooting 4-of-6 from three, five assists and five steals. In the following game against the Wizards, Sheppard had an off-night from behind the arc but made up the production by going 8-of-10 from two-point range and catalyzed the Rockets offense, finishing the night with 22 points and seven assists.

Following his first two games, opposing defenses in the Summer League adjusted to Sheppard’s style of play, often double-teaming him or designing unique defensive sets to stymie his offensive production. Uncommon to observe in the summer slate of games, these adjustments have hindered Sheppard’s offense capabilities as he is constantly being hounded on by defenders.

Further, with a lack of real offensive threats on the Rockets roster, Sheppard has been forced to play superhero ball, single-handedly creating the Rockets offense. Despite this, though, Sheppard has still put up stellar averages in Vegas scoring 20 points, 5.3 assists and recording 2.8 steals a game. He has firmly put himself into the conversation as one of the best prospects at this edition of the Summer League.

Sheppard’s performance this summer has shown true promise for the Rockets, who look to build upon their 41-41 record from last season. General manager Rafael Stone’s patient rebuild since James Harden’s departure in 2021 is slowly yielding its fruits as the Rockets have assembled a young and talented roster headlined by center Alperen Sengun and former second overall pick guard Jalen Green. In addition to Sengun and Green, the Rockets have exciting prospects in Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Amen Thompson and Whitmore.

Adding Sheppard to the fold gives Stone, Udoka and the Rockets many exciting offensive options along with a plethora of opportunities in case some prospects don’t pan out and reach their full potential ceiling. In the short term, Sheppard represents the solution to the Rockets’ glaring shooting problem as the squad recorded the sixth-worst field-goal percentage last season. However, if Sheppard can continue to improve as a playmaker and defender, the former Kentucky star can grow into the Rockets’ long-term Fred VanVleet replacement at the point guard position.

Receiving league-wide plaudits for his performance over the past two weeks, Sheppard is an exciting prospect to watch for this Rockets team. His attractive style of play and beautiful shot mechanics have caught the attention of many across the NBA. In a draft class that was widely considered one of the worst in recent years, Sheppard has quickly emerged as a bright spot who can further elevate this young and talented Rockets team.