Do the Houston Rockets have the Best Shooting Guard Room in the NBA?

The Houston Rockets have one of the best young cores in the NBA. Both of the team’s promising young shooting guards had breakout seasons during the 2025-2026 NBA season. Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard have taken such big leaps that the Rockets might have the best shooting guard room in the NBA.

Thompson is a versatile and athletic two-way player. His seven-foot wingspan and explosive quickness allow him to guard nearly any position and take on some of the league’s toughest assignments. That versatility showed up in the numbers, as Thompson held his opponents to just 40.7% shooting from the field. Among players who defended at least 500 shots during the season, Thompson’s 40.7% ranked best in the NBA.

Offensively, Thompson still has areas he needs to improve, but there are already plenty of encouraging attributes. One of his biggest strengths is his excellent finishing around the rim, converting 71.2% of his attempts. When Thompson gets downhill and attacks the basket, he is extremely difficult to stop.

The biggest weakness in his offense is his shooting. Defenses have been able to give him space when he is eight or more feet away from the basket because of his wayward shooting. Thompson shot just 34.1% from mid-range and an atrocious 21.6% from three-point range.

However, Houston recently hired Chip Engelland, which could and is likely to give a much-needed boost to developing his shooting. Known around the NBA as the “Shot Doctor,” Engelland has built an impressive reputation for helping players improve their shooting mechanics and become more confident perimeter shooters.

If Engelland helps Thompson become even a respectable threat from the perimeter, it could completely elevate his game. Thompson is currently around a top-5 shooting guard in the NBA, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is at least top-3 by the end of next season.

Reed Sheppard, on the other hand, is ranked the 25th-best overall shooting guard in the NBA after his huge leap last season. Although Sheppard is a combo guard, I expect him to mostly play the 2 since Marcus Smart is now a member of the Houston roster.

I predict that Sheppard is going to be a contender for Sixth Man of the Year. Sheppard is an elite three-point shooter, averaging 13.5 points on 39.4% from deep. The only thing that might stop him from becoming all-star material is his athleticism and size.

Sheppard and Thompson complement each other very well, as they have almost opposite assets. They are both very young and have extremely high potential. Lock it in: Houston is going to have the best shooting guard room in the NBA by the end of next season.