With 23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal, shooting 9-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range, Shepherd's summer league debut may be more than just "amazing" to be described as. Draft expert Sam Vecenie wrote: "Shepard is probably the earliest case I've seen in this time because he's too good to play in Summer League. Oh, my God! ”

Judging from the signing, Shepard is a scout, but the Rockets actually chose a champion. Interestingly, even when the class of 2024 rookies took a group photo, Shepard was not only arranged to stand in the C position, but also held the only basketball in his hand.

Projection perfectly adapted to the needs of the rocket

It is not an exaggeration to say that Shepard is the strength of the champion. Less than half an hour before the Eagles drafted Risachet with the No. 1 pick, Woj also reported that the Eagles are still choosing between Risachet and Shepard. In the end, they still chose Risa Shee, and the Rockets were lucky to get Shepard, who was the best fit for their system.

Years ago, the Hawks chose the former between Trae Young and Doncic, and now that Doncic is a superstar and Young has been put on the shelf, Doncic has a significantly higher league status than Young. Now, the Eagles have chosen the former between Rissa Shee and Shepard, and in a few years, will they regret not picking Shepard in the first place?

As for the Rockets, they need a shooter too much, and Shepard is the strongest shooter in this rookie class, and many believe that he has Curry's range and shooting skills. The Rockets got a shooter with the best quality.

In the first game of the summer league, Shepard did not let the Rockets fans wait too long, and in the opening 1 minute or so, Shepard received a pass from Whitmore and hit a three-point shot, showing the specialty that everyone craves the most. In this game, Shepard made 4 of 6 three-pointers. There have been concerns about his transition from the NCAA three-point line to the NBA three-point line, but for a true marksman, distance is simply not an issue.

Shepard not only shot accurately, but also shot far enough. In addition to three-point shooting, he also showed all-round offensive skills such as mid-range shooting and throwing after worshipping people.

While Shepard's short arm span is a flaw and there may be some issues against taller defenders, such as Shepard's 2-of-2 three-pointers and 0-of-7 two-pointers in the first half today, he also showed his ability to adjust and adapt superbly.

In the second half, Shepard was 2-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-6 from two-point range. In particular, the throwing of the Buddha and the shaking of Knecht won a lot of retweets from the American media. At the last moment, Shepard also came with a fast attack and dunk, showing off his bounce ability.

In the 2023-24 season, the Rockets' three-point shooting rate is only 35.2%, ranking 23rd in the league.

Playing selflessly also has a holistic view

Insider Brandon Pardon commented after seeing Shepard's debut: "Shepard will be an NBA All-Star in the future, and I love to see him make the people around him better." ”

This is another Shepard value, not only can he shoot accurately, but he can also use his containment to create opportunities for his teammates.

In this game, Shepard accumulated five assists and hit a clever pass in the opening game to help Whitmore take the lead. Subsequently, Shepard broke through the ball several times to create opportunities for his teammates on the outside. For a rookie, this kind of selflessness and big-picture view is rare.

VanVleet's guaranteed contract is in its final year, and in the 2025-26 season, VanVleet's contract is $44.88 million with a team option, and the Rockets will most likely not keep him, and Shepard is expected to become the new starting backcourt in a year if he runs in well enough in the coming year. He has a projection, can pass the ball, and while the defense has yet to prove himself, he has already shown what a superstar embryo looks like.

New challenges are being faced in the defensive capacity

Looking at this summer league alone, with 1 steal and 3 blocks, Shepard is also very good in defensive statistics. However, in terms of physical confrontation, the disadvantage of his height and arm span still objectively exists. After all, the intensity of the summer league is not as strong as the NBA regular season, but Shepard's defense is smart and can always look for opportunities to help the Rockets get a chance to counterattack.

Of course, he also had some turnovers, which were inevitable problems for rookies, with four turnovers being the most on the team. It's just that the flaws are not hidden, and from the perspective of the debut, this is already a performance that can be close to a full score.

A summer league performance might be enough for a top rookie like Shepard, and the Rockets don't need him to risk injury here to prove some of the information they've gotten. The Houston Chronicle revealed that Shepard and Whitmore will play at least one more summer league game, but could take a break if the Rockets coaching staff feels enough is enough.

Shepard can become an instant combat force, which is also a happy worry for the Rockets. Whitmore also put up 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in today's summer league game. With Ethan back healthy, the Rockets have just too many young people to develop. Shin Kyung, Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Eason, Whitmore, Shepard are all between 20-23 years old, how should their rotation and time be allocated for the new season? It's up to Udoka to face the puzzle.