The biggest story for the Houston Rockets heading into NBA 2K26 Summer League play was second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who was selected to play on the squad.
Through two losses, it’s been a mixed bag for the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
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In Houston’s debut—a 95-92 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers—Sheppard shined with 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting, finishing as the highest scorer on either team. He also finished with eight rebounds, four assists and four steals, leading the squad in each statistic.
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All things considered, this was a great debut for Sheppard. He was clearly the best player on the floor for either team, as you would expect for a player of his perceived caliber.
His second Summer League appearance was rougher. In a 98-83 blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, Sheppard finished with 18 points on 6-of-19 from the field, including just 1-of-7 from deep. He also recorded three boards, one assist, four steals and six turnovers.
In an in-game interview with the ESPN broadcasters during the Pistons’ game, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said Sheppard is working to improve on the defensive end to be ready for the 2025-26 campaign, particularly with on-ball defense.
“We don’t want to have any weak links on the court, and guys take pride in not being a defensive liability,” Udoka said. “He’s taken on that challenge. Everybody knows the shot creation, and obviously, the IQ that he has. A big thing for us is guarding—all of our guys being able to guard—and he’s grown in that department."
