What Ime Udoka Thinks of Reed Sheppard's Growth on Defense

So much of the Houston Rockets’ story over the past few years has been the growth of the young talent and draft picks on the team. The Rockets’ future depends on them, known as the young core, a term thrown around quite a bit now.

While the patience has grown thin and the expectation is to win at this point, growth and development are still required for the youngest member of this young core. That is second-year combo guard Reed Sheppard.

He was the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and naturally high expectations are around him. Sheppard didn’t play much in his rookie season, but showed promise as a spark on the offensive end. His role took a large step forward this season, especially because starting point guard Fred VanVleet was out for the season with a torn ACL.

Sheppard took on a starting point guard role towards the end of the season and at times during the playoffs. There was certainly an improvement on offense when Sheppard held the reins, while there were areas that needed to grow. Sheppard has been a strong scorer and 3-point shooter throughout his college and two-year NBA career.

Sheppard played one season at Kentucky and took home consensus Freshman of the Year honors while shooting over 52 percent from three. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game as a Wildcat, and was expected to be a good outside shooter for an offense that lacks that. He’s done that with his deep 3-pointers and nice moves while attacking.

The one main issue with Sheppard was his defense. The Rockets knew he needed to improve in that aspect to get more consistent minutes and that’s exactly what happened. There are times where he struggles, but there are times where he shines on that end.

It was demonstrated to full effect when Sheppard forced a steal on LeBron James in crunch time on the road in Game 5. That allowed him to get into the open court and throw down an easy dunk for a crucial five-point lead in a must-win playoff game. His defense was a weak point opponents would attack, but that is getting harder as Sheppard’s experience grows.

Coach Ime Udoka is obviously known for his coaching on defense, and that is a huge part of what the Rockets do. Most players don’t get minutes unless they can defend to his liking. It was clear Sheppard’s defense and play got more favorable to Udoka as the season went on. Udoka was asked by the Rockets on SI after the season ended for his thoughts on the improvement Sheppard showed on defense.

Reed Sheppard’s Defense: A Spot of Growth

May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) handles the ball against Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the first quarter game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

“It’s night and day,” Udoka said of Sheppard’s defense now compared to his rookie season last year. “Improving with the physicality of the game.”

That gets better with the more games he’s in. Sheppard played in all 82 games this season and started 21 of them. His minutes increased for just over 12 of his rookie season to 26 per game this year. There’s nothing better than game action to get a hang of defending NBA players.

“I’ve always said the blow-bys were really hurting us, and he has really good hands, so at times he’ll handle it when he needs to and keep people at a decent spot. I think he’s taken the hits better,” Udoka said.

The steals are where Sheppard thrives on defense. He averages 1.5 steals per game this season and 2.2 during the playoffs. It’s such a big boost that results in easy offense as well. Sheppard won’t be the physical or big defender, but will be quick, stealthy, and agile. That can cause opponents to lose track of his movements.

The 21-year-old’s understanding of the scheme is much better now. That avoids defensive breakdowns. The amount of times an opposing player has blown by Sheppard has gone down.

“When we go into coverages, at times I like it because he’s asking to switch instead of staying in coverage at times, and that shows his confidence for being ready to take on that challenge,” Udoka said.

The Rockets felt comfortable with Sheppard guarding some of the bigger wings on the Lakers. That was a big difference as teams used to get after Sheppard on defense, and the Rockets weren’t allowing that to happen. It’s clear the confidence Udoka and the coaching staff have in Sheppard on defense has grown significantly.

Sheppard is listed at 6-foot-2, and although undersized, is more than capable of making big plays on defense. That was seen throughout the season. The improvement was clearly visible as Sheppard continues to refine the weaker aspects of his game. His confidence on the defensive end is strong, and that should continue to keep on growing as long as he gets consistent playing time.

It’s not like he can’t block shots as well. Sheppard averaged almost one block per game this season. Overall, the young guard averaged 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 43 percent overall and 39 percent from three. He still remains a promising young talent for the Rockets.

Add us as a preferred source on Google