Can Rockets' Reed Sheppard Win ROTY From Bench Role?

Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard will have a hurdle to jump to win Rookie of the Year.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The NBA dog days are nearing an end. Minicamps are being hosted, players are returning to their respective markets and the return of basketball is looming. With this, the last bit of offseason talking points will be recycled.

For the Houston Rockets, there is plenty to discuss, though. How will the rotation shake out? Will general manager Rafael Stone make any more trades? Will Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun earn contract extensions before the season tips off?

Predictions will be made about the season, too, and, for the Rockets, rookie guard Reed Sheppard is the most likely to win an award out of any player on the roster.

Sheppard's Rookie of the Year campaign will certainly be an interesting one to follow, too. The No. 3 overall pick is entering the NBA in a class that many consider to be underwhelming, and there is no true ready-now talent that seems primed to win the award.

Essentially, the award will be there for Sheppard to take. The issue? The Kentucky product will be coming off the bench during his inaugural NBA campaign. The guard position will be filled by Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green as the starters, and Sheppard will back them up until one of those two is no longer on the squad.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, Sheppard has the second-best odds (+650 via ESPN BET) to win the award. Primarily coming off the bench, the former Kentucky standout would be the first to do so since Malcolm Brogdon during the 2016-17 season, where he won the award with 28 starts in 75 games played.

Sheppard has experience in this position. He showed enough to earn the right to be selected No. 3 overall in the NBA draft after starting just five of the 33 games he played at the college level. He'll thrive in a role off the bench, proving the defense, playmaking and floor-spacing the Rockets need to raise their ceiling.

There's certainly potential for Sheppard to win the Rookie of the Year award despite coming off the bench, as his talent is too overwhelming to keep him off the floor. The 2024 class is weaker than usual, too, helping his case here.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.