“He is taking the shots I feel like a lot of us wanted him to take,” Amen Thompson says of second-year Rockets guard Reed Sheppard. “I have been really impressed.”
HOUSTON — Although he is only 21 years old, talking with second-year Rockets guard Reed Sheppard will have you thinking you are sitting on the back of an old pickup truck on your grandparents’ farmland, drinking your favorite beverage of choice.
I prefer sweet tea, but that is another story for another time.
Although he is only 12 games into the 2025-26 season, Sheppard is quickly finding his place on the court alongside superstar forward Kevin Durant and rising stars such as Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson.
In recent games, Sheppard has become a vital piece of what the Rockets want to do on offense this season. And as he gets more acclimated to finding open spots on the floor, his confidence is growing by the minute.
Right Place, Right Time
Entering Wednesday, Sheppard has scored in double figures in seven of the eight games he’s played this month. While playing over 23 minutes per game, he’s averaging 13.9 points on 56.8% shooting from the field and 53.2% from 3-point range.
Prior to November, Sheppard had scored in double figures in consecutive games only once in his NBA career.
“He is taking the shots I feel like a lot of us wanted him to take,” said Thompson, whose locker is right next to that of Sheppard. “Just being more confident in running the team sometimes. His defense, getting steals, making gambles, things he is comfortable with. I have been really impressed.”
When asked if players are starting to look for Sheppard more on the offensive end, Thompson made sure the reporters in attendance knew that he was a priority.
“If I see Reed open, I’ve got to pass it to him,” Thompson said. “That is like a bucket.”
After his season-high 21 points in the Rockets’ 135-112 blowout of the Washington Wizards, Sheppard acknowledged the appreciation his teammates have for him. That’s especially the case with his best friend on the team, Thompson, who had more playful and encouraging words postgame.
“Amen told me in the weight room just a minute ago: ‘If you take one more dribble when you are open, and there is no shooting, I’m gonna punch you in the face,’” Sheppard recalled with a smile.
That kind of attitude, both on- and off-court, has made Sheppard’s sophomore season enjoyable — and especially as his development as a player accelerates.
This season, Durant and head coach Ime Udoka have spoken on numerous occasions about the difference they see in Sheppard’s confidence. Specifically, they’ve noted how he has become more aggressive in taking and creating shots, which is a massive leap from his rookie year.
On the other end, while the 6-foot-2 guard is often tasked with covering players who are a few inches taller, Sheppard is tough enough to continue playing his quick, scrappy style of defense.
Even though he may lose some of the battles to seasoned veterans, that never stops Sheppard from wanting another opportunity to guard them on their next trip down the court.
Inherited Family Traits
Sheppard’s offensive skills may have come from his father, Jeff, who was a standout in the mid-to-late 1990s for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team. Still, the scrappiness on defense was naturally inherited from his mother, Stacey, who played with the same intensity and fervor for the Kentucky women’s team.
“We have a lot of similarities, but Reed is on a whole different level than I ever thought about,” Stacey Sheppard told Rockets Wire after her son was drafted by the Rockets at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round. “But the way we move our hands and the way we are engaged on defense, just trying to get to a step ahead or the play ahead and visualize where everything is going to happen, there are a lot of similarities there.”
Not only did Sheppard inherit his parents’ athletic skills, but he also inherited their willingness to help the community in times of need.
He rose to the occasion when his hometown in London, Kentucky, was hit by a tornado in May, causing significant damage. To assist in the recovery, Sheppard showed leadership and joined community efforts to clean up debris.
In early August, Sheppard was back in Kentucky before the start of the school year with his foundation (Sheppard Family Foundation) to pass out shoes, backpacks, and free food for children and families in need.
“It meant everything,” Sheppard said of that community work. “Where I am from, it is not very big. So when stuff like that (a natural disaster) happens, you kind of know most of the people it affects. So, it was hard to see, but being able to go back home this summer helped.”
“I couldn’t really do much, but being able to give some backpacks and things for some families in need and help the families in need in many ways as I could was really special to me and my family. So, being able to do that for the hometown was special. They are doing better. Everyone is on the buildup now.”
Hall-of-Fame Encouragement
Sheppard is also involved in an on-court rebuild in Houston, where the Rockets are working to fill the gap left by point guard Fred VanVleet. The 31-year-old is likely to miss most or all of this season after tearing the ACL in his right knee just before the start of training camp.
At the moment, Sheppard is part of a three-man guard rotation featuring Thompson, Josh Okogie, and himself, which has helped lead the Rockets (9-3) nine wins in their last 10 games, overall.
One of Sheppard’s biggest supporters outside his family has been Durant, a new teammate for 2025-26 and a future first-ballot selection to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A perennial All-Star, the 37-year-old has seen the potential in Sheppard’s game since his playing days at Kentucky. Now teammates, Durant’s presence on offense helps open up the court and provide additional floor spacing for the young sharpshooter.
“Encouragement goes a long way,” Durant said. “When I make a shot, I hear Reed saying, ‘That’s tough, KD, good move,’ and that gives me energy. I try to reciprocate that. Be a good teammate and encourage him when I see him.”
“We always look to correct and solve, but as athletes, sometimes we lack in the encouragement department. So, I just try to do my best and encourage all my guys, especially Reed, who makes some big plays for us.”
