Houston Rockets: Can Reed Sheppard Turn the Corner?

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard has had a quiet season, barely seeing the court as a rookie despite being selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA draft. Can he become impactful down the stretch of the season?

Nov 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) shoots the ball as Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets selected guard Reed Sheppard with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft in hopes of bolstering the team's offensive firepower, but that has not been the case through almost a third of the season.

Sheppard has been underwhelming to say the least. He's averaging just 3.7 points per game on 35.3% shooting, including just 29.8% from the three-point line, which in college, was his biggest asset.

He has proven to be hesitant with his jump shot, he hasn't been able to run the back-up playmaker role yet in his young career and hasn't been a good enough defender to be playing significant minutes.

In fact, the rookie guard has fallen behind Aaron Holiday in the rotation, and does not see the floor in big games.

For a prospect who flew up draft boards after a remarkable three-point shooting season at Kentucky, it's safe to say the Rockets had higher expectations for their top three draft pick.

It has only been 27 games, but it's looking a lot like Sheppard won't be a player they could rely on this season, but can he turn it around?

It's becoming less and less rare to see elite shooting prospects come out of college, overseas and the G-League, but with someone of Sheppard's caliber, it is almost a guarentee that his shooting splits will come back up.

But that hasn't been the only issue. Arguably, a more alarming one has been his hesitant shooting.

Sheppard seems to shy away from shooting the ball as he continues to see his shot clank off the rim, but Houston is desperate for someone to rely on for consistent three-point shooting and maybe taking more threes can help the rookie guard find his rythym.

Along with his shooting, Sheppard's playmaking hasn't been at par with what many expected, but as he continues to watch veteran guard Fred VanVleet run the floor in the starting five, it's possible he could earn that skill as the season goes on.

Needless to say, the Rockets need him to figure it out, and hopefully fast. The team has been a defensive force, but also a below average offensive squad. They need someone to step up and help prevent the long dry spells they seem to have throughout many of the big games.

With Houston looking ready to make a playoff push, it will need its top three draft pick to improve significantly in order to make some noise and compete for a championship.

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