Houston Rockets rookie guard Reed Sheppard will miss at least four weeks after fracturing his right thumb, head coach Ime Udoka announced on Saturday. Ukoda said Sheppard injured the top of his thumb and not the lower portion, which is a “better outcome.”
Houston Rockets’ Reed Sheppard Suffered His Thumb Fracture In Thursday’s Victory Over The New Orleans Pelicans
Udoka also added that Sheppard will be in a splint for about four weeks as he recovers from the injury that occurred in Houston’s 109-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. It appeared that Sheppard sustained the injury when he slapped down on the ball on a foul on Zion Williamson.
Sheppard, 20, was selected No. 3 overall by the Rockets in the 2024 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky. In 45 games (one start) with Houston, he’s averaged 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 11.9 minutes per contest while shooting 33.2% from the field and 81.3% at the free throw line.
#Rockets vs Pelicans at 5:30PM on SCHN
Before the game Ime Udoka had updates on Fred VanVleet (out – right ankle strain) & Reed Sheppard (out – right thumb avulsion fracture)@HoustonRockets I #Liftoff pic.twitter.com/z0jA7s3FRZ
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) March 8, 2025
In Houston’s 137-128 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, he recorded a career-high 25 points on 10-of-17 (58.8%) shooting from the floor and 3-of-7 (42.9%) from 3-point range.
Sheppard’s absence gives Cam Whitmore, Jae’Sean Tate, and Aaron Holiday the opportunity to earn more minutes and a bigger role off the Rockets’ bench over the next month.
Sheppard Joined Tyrese Haliburton, Stephen Curry For An NCAA Division I Record During His Freshman Season
As for his NCAA career, the Kentucky native averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals in 33 games played with the Wildcats, while shooting 53.6% from the field, 52.1% from deep, and 83.1% at the foul line.
Sheppard was an early entry candidate following his freshman season at Kentucky. He was named National Freshman of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, in addition to earning All-America Honorable Mention by The Associated Press.
The 6-foot-2 Sheppard ranked eighth in the nation in steals per game and first overall in 3-point percentage with a minimum of 30 attempts. He also finished fifth in assists (148).
Dating back to 2001-02, Sheppard joined Tyrese Haliburton and Stephen Curry as the only Division I players to have averaged at least 16 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 2.5 made 3-pointers per 40 minutes played in a season with a true shooting percentage of 60% or better.
Additionally, Sheppard was the third Division I freshman to have logged at least 80 steals and 75 made 3-pointers in a single season. He led the SEC in true shooting percentage (69.9%) as well.
