Entering his second NBA season, Reed Sheppard knows the Houston Rockets will need more from him in the aftermath of a potentially season ending knee injury for Fred VanVleet.
But the talented young guard, drafted at No. 3 overall in the 2024 first round, now believes he is more prepared for that level of responsibility.
In comments at Monday’s media day to open training camp for the 2025-26 season, Sheppard said of his offseason:
My confidence, right now, is at an all-time high. I feel really comfortable with where I am, with my body.
I feel like I took my weights to a different level. And the first three weeks of the summer, I was here in Houston working on straight defense. I didn’t touch the ball for like the first 30 minutes of my workouts. It wasn’t very fun, but it was good, and I learned a lot. I really feel like I got a lot better.
Handling the rigors of NBA physicality and additional games is a frequent challenge for young players, but the Kentucky product appears much more confident in his ability to handle it entering his sophomore season.
With VanVleet injured, Sheppard and Amen Thompson appear to be next in line as Houston’s primary playmakers and ball handlers. It is not yet clear if head coach Ime Udoka plans to use both in his starting lineup, but Sheppard should have an important role, regardless.
The preseason opener is next Monday, Oct. 6, at home versus Atlanta. That will give Udoka and the Rockets more opportunities to evaluate their options.
Sheppard played only sparingly as a rookie on a deep Houston squad that finished 52-30 and No. 2 in the Western Conference standings. He did, however, fare very well in limited games as a starter, which could perhaps offer hope entering a 2025-26 campaign in which he’ll have significantly more opportunities.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Reed Sheppard: ‘Confidence at all-time high’ entering sophomore season
