Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard has been thrown to the proverbial wolves during his second NBA season. After struggling to see the court as a rookie, Sheppard was thrust into a high-volume role in year two when Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL mere weeks before the start of the regular season.
In turn, a feel-good story of a young player learning by fire began to unfurl—and many seemed to forget that the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft has legitimate star potential.
Sheppard has responded to adversity by digging deep and turning in a strong 2025-26 campaign. He's currently averaging 13.9 points, 3.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 2.7 three-point field goals made in 25.3 minutes per game on .489/.451/.714 shooting.
After spending his first 14 games as a reserve, Sheppard has spent the past three in the starting lineup—[surely aided by a 27-point eruption](https://spacecityscoop.com/reed-sheppard-inching-closer-to-answering-question-that-will-define-his-future) against Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets.
Sheppard struggled offensively during his first start, but bounced back with 31 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. He then tallied nine points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks against Keyonte George and the Utah Jazz.
A legitimate two-way player with the capacity for explosive offensive performances, Sheppard is proving that he's not just a stopgap solution with VanVleet sidelined. He's the replacement.
Reed Sheppard proving he's Rockets' long-term starter over FVV
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Sheppard has taken his game to a fascinating level over the past 10 games. During that time, he's averaged 16.8 points, 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 3.1 three-point field goals made on .525/.463/.733 shooting while committing just 1.3 turnovers per game.
That includes the aforementioned eruptions against top-tier opponents, during which he made a clear statement about what his future could look like as a scoring threat.
Beyond the numbers, Sheppard isn't just converting shots that any NBA player could make if positioned to do so. He's creating offense for himself and displaying a unique and well-rounded skill set that can hurt opposing defenses at all three levels.
That includes the nuanced ability to dribble between defenders, get to his spot, and bury shots from close and midrange that most players in a three-heavy league don't think to pursue.
It's the type of detail that has opened so many eyes and reminded skeptics who had once supported him of why he was the No. 3 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. It wasn't just that Sheppard had set the Division I landscape ablaze with an unfathomably efficient two-way season during his lone campaign with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Sheppard represented the unique blend of athleticism, skill, defensive acumen, and basketball IQ that scouts so often covet at all five positions.
His shot selection was responsible, his range was limitless, and his ability to identify exactly where he wanted to go and then chart a course to getting there was advanced. He [tormented teams in the passing lanes](https://spacecityscoop.com/reed-sheppard-s-defense-comes-with-an-inherent-flaw-the-rockets-must-mitigate), creating turnovers and selflessly creating for teammates when he could've taken shots himself.
Some questioned if Sheppard could be assertive enough to become a star in the NBA, but if the 2025-26 season is proving anything, it's that he's ready to show how flawed the skepticism was.