Reed Sheppard receives ringing endorsement despite polarizing rookie season

When the Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, many inevitably expected him to receive instantly meaningful playing time. Fred VanVleet is a respected veteran who had the starting spot safely secured, but minutes behind him appeared available.

Unfortunately, Sheppard struggled to find consistent playing time in 2024-25—a truth that hasn't prevented one NBA Draft guru from singing his praises.

Sheppard appeared in 52 games as a rookie, starting three and averaging 12.6 minutes per contest. He averaged 16.0 points per game when he played at least 20 minutes, but that transpired on just five occasions in 2024-25.

In a 2024 NBA Re-Draft by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, Sheppard was still listed as a top-five pick despite the limited sample size of his success.

It's a testament to how highly regarded Sheppard is and how significant his upside appears to be that he's still being praised after a difficult rookie year.

Reed Sheppard still viewed as a top-5 player in his draft class

Sheppard finished his rookie season averaging 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 three-point field goals made in 12.6 minutes per game. He did so while shooting at a putrid clip of .351/.338/.813. As such, it's fair to question if he should still be viewed as a top-five player in his class.

Some degree of understanding has been shown for the circumstances under which he played, however, as he never seemed to receive a chance to play through his mistakes.

One look at his per-36 production offers ample evidence as to the type of player he may still become. He finished his rookie season averaging 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.

That's eerily similar to the numbers that helped him get drafted in the first place: 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.3 three-point field goals made per game in 2023-24.

The difference between Sheppard's polarizing rookie season and his captivating freshman campaign was the pendulum swing in efficiency. He shot the lights out with the Kentucky Wildcats, posting a slash line of .536/.521/.831.

Known as an elite shooter who can create turnovers at virtual will with his defensive instincts and top-tier athleticism, Sheppard looked the part of a future high-level NBA guard.

Vecenie seems to believe that the opportunity still exists for Sheppard to realize his potential. It's an admittedly common theory, as his defensive-minded approach to the game and capacity for knockdown shooting make him a dream fit for the Rockets' backcourt—on paper.

One can only hope that Sheppard will receive the necessary playing time to improve upon his rookie campaign and solidify his place as a future starter.