Rockets' Reed Sheppard Draws Comparison to MVP, Hall of Fame Guard

The Houston Rockets need a point guard. Or so we've been told.

Not to say that the Rockets wouldn't benefit from a traditional table-setting guard. It would certainly help them get into their sets and actions.

But the narrative has been exaggerated a tad bit, as Houston still boasts the league's top-ranked offensive attack.

In the halfcourt, Alperen Sengun as the offensive fulcrum is highly effective. And although Amen Thompson isn't exactly a traditional floor general, he's a uniquely gifted athlete.

He's definitely one of his own kind.Reed Sheppard doesn't seem to factor into the conversation whenever the narrative of the Rockets needing a point guard gets floated around by the masses.

It's partly understandable, as Rockets coach Ime Udoka doesn't seem fully comfortable with Sheppard yet, although his playing time has been increasing of late (26.7 minutes over the last three games, compared to 16.5 minutes in the previous four).

Yahoo Sports Morten Stig Jensen concocted his All-Breakout Teams and the Houston Rockets guard made the Second Team.

"Is a player averaging 12.2 points qualified for a breakout label? That's probably for you to judge, but considering how rough his first season looked, Sheppard is doing some good things, especially in the shooting department, where he's reminding people just how potent he is.

Sheppard has canned 50% of his 3-pointers this season on 5.6 nightly attempts, and his quick trigger is both fluid and, well, intoxicating to watch. His release is so consistent and so effortless, you get flashbacks to the days of Mark Price, Steve Nash and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.

Even if Sheppard never lives up to where he was drafted — third overall in 2024 — he will have a strong 15-year career based exclusively off his ability to create, take and make 3-pointers. That's a win for both him and Houston, especially on the heels of Fred VanVleet's season-ending knee injury."

Let's first note how great it would be for Sheppard to morph into Steve Nash, who won an MVP and became a Hall of Famer.

That would require the Rockets to employ him in a different role, as he's been used mostly off ball. The Rockets haven't really played him at point guard much.

It would also require Sheppard to do a better job at the foul line, as Nash is a career 90.4 percent foul shooter. On the year, Sheppard is shooting just 57.1 percent from the charity stripe.

But Reed is already a better defender, without question.