Bulls legend Ron Harper drops 3-word reaction after analysts makes huge Reed Sheppard ROTY prediction

The 2024-25 NBA season is nearing its conclusion, which means the regular-season awards will be handed out to the players who've earned the titles for their performances through the course of the campaign.

One of those rewards includes the 2025 Rookie of the Year award. While the Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain seemed to be the top candidate to win the award, his season-ending injury made him ineligible to claim it.

Other rookies are looking to win the award but Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard isn't on the ladder. However, NBA analyst Tim Bontemps of ESPN said that Sheppard had the potential to win Rookie of the Year if he had more playing time.

“If (Reed Sheppard) was playing for a team where he’s getting 25–30 minutes a game, my prediction would be he’d be running away with (Rookie of the Year)…”

Chicago Bulls legend and Michael Jordan's former teammate, Ron Harper, expressed his thoughts on Bontemps' sentiments toward Sheppard. He feels that any rookie who is given sufficient playing time can contend to win the award.

"That’s any rookie," Harper responded to Bontemps on X.

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Looking at Reed Sheppard's numbers

Looking at Sheppard's rookie season so far, he's had some ups and downs in terms of his performances.

Sheppard is only averaging 4.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Looking at his season average alone, it doesn't look impressive. However, Bontemps does make a valid argument that the Rockets' rookie has what it takes to handle his own on the hardwood, given he had more minutes.

On March 3, Houston took on the OKC Thunder and the Rockets lacked the majority of their starters. Reed Sheppard was given the chance to play for an extended period. For the first time in his career, Sheppard was named a starter and dominated the court with 25 points, five assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block.

Having that in mind, there might be some truth behind Tim Bontemps' sentiments regarding Sheppard. However, we'll never know for sure until the Rockets rookie can perform the way he did against the Thunder consistently.