At 52-27, the Rockets are comfortably in second place in the Western Conference with just three games left in the regular season.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team that’s been rebuilding through the lottery for years.
Houston has picked in the lottery in each of the last four NBA drafts, creating a solid mix of young talent alongside their veteran players.
Their most recent addition came with the third pick in the 2024 draft when they selected Kentucky standout Reed Sheppard. But fans haven’t seen much of the rookie this season.
Head coach Ime Udoka has used Sheppard sparingly, leading some experts to wonder what might have been under different circumstances.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps recently made a bold claim about the young guard.
“If he [Reed Sheppard] was on a team where he’s playing 25 minutes a game, my prediction would be, he’d be running away with this award,” Bontemps said when discussing the Rookie of the Year race.
## Why hasn’t Sheppard played more?
The answer is pretty simple: depth.
Houston entered the 2024-25 season with a stacked roster, allowing them to take a patient approach with their third-overall pick. Instead of throwing Sheppard into the deep end, they’ve given him time to develop gradually.
The 20-year-old has appeared in just 49 of Houston’s 79 games this season.
He’s started only once and averages a modest 11.4 minutes per game.
The rookie has collected 26 DNPs (Did Not Play) throughout the season, watching from the bench as his team climbed the Western Conference standings.
On ESPN’s podcast “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,” the hosts recently discussed the Rookie of the Year race, with Bontemps highlighting what could have been for Sheppard with more playing time.
Sheppard finally got his chance to shine last Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He made his first career start and played a career-high 31 minutes.
He didn’t disappoint.
The rookie poured in 25 points, showing exactly why he was such a highly-touted prospect coming out of Kentucky.
Despite these flashes of brilliance, Sheppard’s limited role means he’s not in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. That honor will likely go to Spurs’ rookie Stephin Castle, who’s had the benefit of consistent minutes on a rebuilding team.
For Rockets fans, though, it’s exciting to think about what Sheppard might bring to the table in the playoffs—or next season when he might have an expanded role.
