Reed Sheppard got a Louisville t-shirt for Christmas and threw it in the trash

See, now that is more like it, Reed. You see a t-shirt that isn’t blue or doesn’t say Kentucky and you throw it in the dumpster, right where it belongs.

I don’t need to remind you about the controversy Reed Sheppard found himself in ahead of Coach Cal’s return to Lexington with the Wildcats hosting Arkansas last season. He wanted to support his former coach going into a hostile matchup — the guy who gave him his first shot and the platform to become a top-three draft pick as an unexpected one-and-done — but also his old school, now led by his dad’s college roommate, Mark Pope.

Nice idea from a guy who obviously bleeds blue and just wanted to be a voice of reason, just poor execution. Maybe a picture of Sheppard with John Calipari at Kentucky on the shirt with UK shorts? Oh, well. Water under the bridge.

This time around, he’s leaving nothing to chance.

The Houston Rockets handed out unserious gifts to the players — Steven Adams got meat claws and Alperen Sengun got a Dobby action figure from Harry Potter, for example — for Christmas. Sheppard’s present? A red Louisville t-shirt.

As one should, the sophomore sharpshooter lifted for the jumper and launched it directly at the trash can. Back iron, but we’ll call it a make.

“Thank you, Merry Christmas,” the former Kentucky star politely responded after throwing their gift in the garbage.

Take a look:

The Houston Rockets gave each of their players Christmas gifts, and they gave Reed Sheppard a Louisville t-shirt.

He immediately threw it away in the trash can. pic.twitter.com/Oq1zFMRDP5

— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) December 25, 2025

Sheppard is 27 games into his second season with the Rockets as the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. After a disappointing rookie campaign, the former Wildcat has finally found his groove in the pros, averaging 13.3 points on 45/44/77 splits with 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 25.8 minutes per contest. As his role has expanded, so has his production, emerging as a go-to role player and knockdown shooter for an 18-10 team ranked sixth in the Western Conference.

He earned real run in Houston’s 119-96 win over Luka Doncic, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas, finishing with 13 points on 5-10 shooting and 1-4 from three with two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 19 minutes off the bench.

Well done, No. 15. Once a Cat, always a Cat.