What Rockets GM Rafael Stone Thinks of Reed Sheppard and His Future

The future of the Houston Rockets has always been talked about. That future is now. The expectations surrounding the Rockets is that to contend going forward.

After the trade for Kevin Durant last summer, it was clear the Rockets were looking to take that next step. That ultimately didn't happen as the Rockets fell in the first round of the NBA Playoffs again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers without Luka Doncic. It was a disappointment, and the Rockets must build upon that to go further in the postseason.

A big part of that will be the continued growth and improvement of the young core. The youngest member of that group is Reed Sheppard, who will now be heading into his third season overall and second season of playing significant minutes.

As the former third overall pick in 2024, there are high expectations on Sheppard to significantly improve the way he did this season. Many believe that Sheppard has the potential to be a special player in the association. While Sheppard did not have a great Game 6, the truth is that he took impressive strides forward all around.

This wasn't an easy situation for him to be a part of. Once veteran point guard Fred VanVleet went down, the Rockets just never found a solution. A combo guard at Kentucky, Sheppard found some success in that role, especially during the late stretch of the regular season.

He clearly got the approval from the coaching staff for more minutes as the season went on. Sheppard averaged 26 minutes per game, which was more than double his rookie season. His defense got better as he gained experience and the Rockets offense just looked much better with the 21-year-old as the primary ball handler. Sheppard could run an offense, make passes and shoot.

He's such a key part of the Rockets future and a lot comes down to his growth. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone believes in his young guard and said so in his press conference after the season.

Stone Remains Very High on Sheppard

Jan 28, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone watches during practice before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Stone liked what he saw from Sheppard this year and believes he "had a great season."

Sheppard's role dramatically increased in the back end of the year and had a huge role in the playoffs as well. There were flashes of brilliance and moments of growth.

"He got thrown into the fire. When he was good, he was really good," Stone said. There was definite improvement over the summer that allowed Sheppard to perform the way he did.

"He needs to do the same thing again this summer," Stone said.

His 3-point shooting is obviously the highlight of what he does. Sheppard shot 39 percent from downtown this season on high volume.

His understanding of the defense grew as he gained confidence and time on the court. Sheppard played in all 82 games and got 21 starts. The Rockets were just better when he started. Sheppard averaged 1.5 steals and almost one block per game. Even with his size at 6-foot-2, he got better at holding his own.

Stone was asked whether he believes Sheppard is the point guard of the future for the Rockets. This was his answer.

"My expectation for him is he should be. I think he should be a really good one. I think that's his expectation for himself as well," Stone said.

Once VanVleet's time in Houston is up, could Sheppard be the one to take the reins? He's shown moments of potential, and the continued experience as well as learning from VanVleet could make the difference. He had some point guard time at Kentucky, but it's a whole new thing in the NBA.

Sheppard averaged 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on 43 percent shooting overall. He had three playoff games with more than five assists while doing that 19 times during the regular season.

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