Reed Sheppard made a spectacular NBA G League debut for the RGV Vipers, despite the team's 130-125 loss to the Oklahoma City Blue at the Bert Ogden Arena on Tuesday. The Houston Rockets rookie made an emphatic statement in his first G League outing, delivering an explosive performance and falling just one point shy of a 50-point game.Reed Sheppard finished with an impressive 49 points on 17 of 33 shooting, including 8 of 19 from beyond the arc. He was a perfect 4 of 4 from the free throw line and contributed across the board with five rebounds, six assists, three steals, one block and four turnovers. The rookie concluded the game with a plus/minus of -3, capping off a sensational debut.Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, had seen limited playing time with the Houston Rockets recently. As a result, the franchise assigned him to their G League affiliate on Monday to gain more opportunities on the court.The rookie’s last appearance for the Rockets came on Jan. 3 against the Boston Celtics, where he logged just five minutes. In that game, Sheppard didn’t attempt a shot but managed to record a steal. He subsequently missed two consecutive games before delivering a breakout performance in the G League on Tuesday.Sheppard has appeared in 30 of the Rockets’ 36 games this season, averaging 3.3 points on 32.2% shooting from the field, including 27.9% from beyond the arc. He also contributes 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.Fans react to Reed Sheppard's 49-point game in G LeagueSocial media erupted after Reed Sheppard’s stellar performance for the RGV Vipers in the NBA G League. Fans praised the Houston Rockets rookie for his electrifying display, even though it came in a losing effort."Rockets could just free this dude and go as far as even winning the championship bro not even an exaggeration to think they would," a fan commented."They need to trade Van Fleet to open up space for him on the NBA roster," commented another fan."Rockets: but we need him down in the G League because he needs practice. Clearly, the Rockets leadership doesn’t understand their own draft picks," a user wrote."Yep idiots don’t wanna play him .. he’s better than van fleet put the dude in,"said another.Meanwhile, the Rockets squared off against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday and registered a 135-112 blowout win.