Due to the rise of White Demon Whitmore, the Rockets placed Shepard in the Development League. Today, Shepard made his debut against the Thunder's affiliate team. Ultimately, the Rockets' affiliate Vipers lost 125-130. However, Shepard's performance was impeccable; he scored 49 points with 17 out of 33 shots, including 8 out of 19 three-pointers, and contributed 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. This 49-point haul is also the second-highest score in the Development League this year. In the first half, Shepard was still adapting to the game and only managed 16 points, but in the second half, he exploded for 33 points, including 27 in the final quarter, nearly leading a comeback.
In the Development League, Shepard truly demonstrated his talent, confidently shooting threes on offense, with mid-range jumpers and layups as well. He organized plays by threading passes across the court and creating opportunities for his teammates using pick-and-rolls. Defensively, Shepard was ever-present, becoming the Vipers' lockdown defender. We previously mentioned that Shepard should have gone to the Development League earlier because he wasn't yet adapted to the NBA's intensity. He was strong in the Summer League due to his physical capabilities.
The reason for his strength was that Shepard could keep up physically, but in the NBA, he became a target for everyone's training. Despite Udoka giving him ample time, Shepard failed to explode in any game since the start of the season, instead performing poorly. He lacked confidence on offense and became a weak point defensively for the Rockets. Udoka had no choice but to use him for 30 games before giving up. However, one aspect of Shepard's game with the Rockets was not problematic; he didn't lose his defensive position.
The reason Shepard struggled defensively was that he was often overpowered, unable to hold his ground physically. But once his physique improves, his defense will no longer be an issue for the Rockets. Offensively, as a role player, Shepard doesn't have the unlimited shooting rights that No. 1 draft pick Lisha Xie and No. 2 draft pick Saur enjoy, averaging only 10 minutes per game. Shepard dared not make mistakes, playing reasonably on the court, but to no avail. This is also why White Demon pushed Shepard out of the rotation.
Shepard's role with the Rockets was to be like Holiday, coming in as an off-ball shooter who must dare to shoot when receiving the ball. Defensively, he was supposed to tangle with the opponents' backcourt, but both these aspects were covered by White Demon. When it comes to set shooting, White Demon is more accurate and capable of attacking. Defensively, White Demon is physically stronger, and Shepard falls short. It's not a big deal that Shepard loses to White Demon; his primary task now is to build up his body, just like Van Jordan, who stands at 1.83 meters and has become a small cannon.
What about Shepard? Standing at 1.91 meters, if he can increase his weight and build muscle to adapt to the NBA's intensity, he can replicate his Development League performance. Fundamentally, it's still the case that Shepard's core strength isn't enough for the NBA, which is a long process. That's why people previously thought Shepard shouldn't force himself to play with the Rockets; continuing would erode his self-confidence. The Rockets made a wise decision, which was the outcome Udoka anticipated.
Although the decision by the Rockets' management came a bit late, they should have sent Shepard to the Development League much earlier. Today, Shepard's self-confidence and the strength he displayed indeed refuted some skeptics. People said that even the Development League might be too challenging for Shepard, but when he proved that his body could keep up, he became the unstoppable third overall pick. Shepard should spend a considerable amount of time in the Development League, waiting until next year. The Rockets don't need him right now. In the Development League, Shepard should focus on building his self-confidence and physique; he has the potential to be the top candidate to replace Van Jordan in the future.