Despite a turbulent playoff run, the Houston Rockets remain firm believers in guard Reed Sheppard's long-term potential, with internal sources comparing his ceiling to Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash, sources tell ESPN

Sheppard, selected third overall in the 2024 draft, struggled with consistency throughout Houston's first-round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He shot 16-for-64 in the Rockets' four defeats but 11-for-24 in their two wins, a split that illustrated both his promise and his volatility.

The inconsistency drew outside skepticism. One rival scout offered a sharply different projection when asked about the Nash comparison.

"More like Steve Kerr," the scout said, envisioning Sheppard as an undersized reserve rather than a primary offensive engine.

Internally, the Rockets push back on that assessment.

"He just flashes so much greatness you can't teach," a team source told ESPN. "From Steve Nash to Steph Curry, none of those little guards play great their first few years. We're still big believers in Reed."

Sheppard's poor defense in Game 1 limited him to 11 minutes in Game 2. He contributed a damaging turnover in Game 3's late collapse but also delivered a key steal off LeBron James in Game 5 that helped seal a road win. He finished Game 6 shooting 4-of-19, including 1-of-10 from three.

The Rockets drafted Sheppard one spot ahead of Stephon Castle, the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year, who is an All-NBA caliber talent in his second season with the San Antonio Spurs. Houston's belief in Sheppard's temperament to grow from this season's adversity remains unchanged heading into the offseason.