When the Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, many inevitably expected him to receive instantly meaningful playing time. Fred VanVleet is a respected veteran who had the starting spot safely secured, but minutes behind him appeared available.
Unfortunately, Sheppard struggled to find consistent playing time in 2024-25—a truth that hasn't prevented one NBA Draft guru from singing his praises.
Sheppard appeared in 52 games as a rookie, starting three and averaging 12.6 minutes per contest. He averaged 16.0 points per game when he played at least 20 minutes, but that transpired on just five occasions in 2024-25.