Rockets face instant regret after Fred VanVleet injury

With training camp just over the horizon, the Houston Rockets have been dealt a devastating blow. Starting point guard Fred VanVleet has suffered a torn ACL, with the injury likely to force him to miss the entire 2025-26 season.

As such, after providing Reed Sheppard with limited minutes in 2024-25, the Rockets have suddenly found themselves needing him to replace an All-Star and NBA champion.

VanVleet, 31, is coming off of a 2024-25 season during which he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 2.7 three-point field goals made per game. He also went shot-for-shot with Stephen Curry during the second half of the Rockets' first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.

Sheppard, 21, played 12.6 minutes per game during the regular season and 3.3 minutes per contest during the playoffs.

The transition from VanVleet to Sheppard was admittedly in the works the moment Houston selected the up-and-comer at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. After rarely seeing the court as a rookie, however, he's now being tasked with providing high-level minutes for a team with championship aspirations.

The burden of replacing VanVleet won't exclusively fall on Sheppard's shoulders, but he'll carry an unavoidably heavy workload in 2025-26 after hardly seeing the court in 2024-25.

Rockets' shift from Fred VanVleet to Reed Sheppard expedited by injury

Between his inefficient shooting and the general lack of opportunities afforded to him, Sheppard's rookie season left something to be desired. What remains true, however, is that he's an exceptionally talented player with legitimate two-way potential.

That much was on display during the 2023-24 college basketball season, when Sheppard turned in a thrilling and remarkably efficient freshman campaign.

Sheppard finished his freshman season averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.3 three-point field goals made per game. He led the SEC in steals per game and paced Kentucky to ranking No. 2 in the country in points per game and No. 6 in offensive rating.

Along the way, Sheppard accumulated a breathtaking slash line of .536/.521/.831, thus displaying the legitimately elite potential he has as a three-point shooter.

In addition to shooting the lights out, Sheppard was a force of nature on the defensive end of the floor. He created turnovers at virtual will and skied above the rim for blocks at a rate of 0.7 per game—an impressive figure for a 6'2" guard.

Sheppard shot poorly, but he managed to emulate his collegiate production in 2024-25 at 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.

The new hope in Houston is that he can come close to those numbers on a per-game basis—or, moreover, make an impact worth mentioning. The Rockets are thin at point guard and need a player who can provide the defense, floor spacing, and playmaking that VanVleet offers.

After a season during which he primarily watched the Rockets play from the sidelines, Sheppard will suddenly become one of the most important players on the roster.