Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson Could Be Rockets’ Star Duo Down the Line

Houston’s newest backcourt duo could be return them to the coveted NBA Finals, should they reach their ceiling.

Apr 14, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets have some of the best young talent in the NBA in Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason and the newly-added Reed Sheppard.

Despite having a current star in Sengun — who posted a critical 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game last season — the team’s future might lie in the hands of Thompson and Sheppard, its top first-round draft picks in the last two seasons.

Rarely do two backcourt players compliment and cover each other as well as Thompson and Sheppard, who have a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses.

Thompson is a 6-foot-6 hyper-athlete, who overwhelms with stingy on-ball defense, and an offensive game centered around passing, as well as his handle and high-octane finishing around the rim. In his debut season with Houston, he averaged 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, but finished just 14% from beyond the arc, a clearly massive negative on his game.

Sheppard serves as a near-polar opposite. He’s an undersized combo guard who also has a knack for keen passing, but thrives off-ball defensively — jumping lanes for 2.5 steals per game — and from the perimeter offensively, hitting a scorching 52% of his threes at Kentucky.

Suffice it to say, Thompson and Sheppard both have key skills in the defense and passing departments, and make up for each others shortcomings on the offensive end.

It’s also important to note the pedigree with which Thompson and Sheppard enter the league, drafted at No. 4 and No. 3, respectively, in back-to-back drafts. If they do reach their full potential, Houston should have a backcourt duo capable of taking them back to the coveted Playoffs, and potentially even further.

That’s not to say other players won’t be able to fill in nicely alongside those two. But they very well could end up the focal point moving forward, leaving a few others in precarious positions. Rockets’ coach Ime Udoka has long put an emphasis on defensive intensity, which could leave the two ahead of others in terms of development and playing time.

Regardless, Rockets fans will wait for October with bated breath for a leap from Thompson in Year 2, and to see Sheppard rolled out for his debut season.

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