Reid grew up in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and attended Roselle Catholic High School.[3] Following his senior season, in which he averaged 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game, Reid was invited to the 2018 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. During the game, he scored 15 points, had 11 rebounds, two assists, and one block while playing for 20 minutes.[4] Reid scored 22 points as Roselle Catholic defeated Don Bosco Prep in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.[5] During his high school career he was a member of the Jelly Fam, an internet movement focused around wild finger roll layups. Nicknamed "Big Jelly", he was known for playing like a big and flashy guard.[6] He was the only member of the movement to make it to the NBA.[7]
Recruiting
Reid was a consensus 5-star recruit in high school, ranked the best power forward in New Jersey and the third-best power forward in the U.S., as well as the 22nd-best player in his class by 247 sports. On September 12, 2017, Reid committed to play college basketball at LSU (Louisiana State University), with his friend Matthew McMahon.[8] Reid later said, "What drew me to the school is Coach Wade, [assistant] Coach Greg Heiar, all the other coaches."[9]
Reid made his college debut on November 6, 2018, with 17 points and 6 rebounds in a 94–63 win over Southeastern Louisiana University. Three days later, he scored his season-high 29 points, along with 7 rebounds, and shooting 4–6 behind the arc. Throughout his freshman season, Reid averaged 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. On April 3, 2019, he declared for the 2019 NBA draft and hired an agent, foregoing his final three years of college eligibility.[10]
Professional career
Minnesota Timberwolves (2019–present)
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Reid signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on July 5, 2019, on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves' NBA G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. Under that deal's terms, Reid would split time between Minnesota and Iowa.[11] He also played for Minnesota in the 2019 NBA Summer League. On July 17, 2019, Reid signed a multi-year contract with the Timberwolves.[12] He was assigned to the Timberwolves’ NBA G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, for opening night of the G League season.[13] Reid made his NBA debut on December 8, 2019, scoring three points in a 125–142 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.[14] On January 13, 2020, he scored a season-high 20 points in a 104–117 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.[15]
On February 6, 2021, Reid scored a career-high 29 points, alongside six rebounds and two steals, in a 118–120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.[16]
On January 2, 2022, Reid scored a season-high 23 points, alongside 11 rebounds, in a 103–108 loss to the Lakers.[17] He was a key reserve on a Timberwolves team that qualified for their first postseason appearance since 2018. Reid made his first playoff appearance during the first round of the playoffs on April 16, recording two rebounds in a 130–117 Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[18] The Timberwolves lost to the Grizzlies in six games.
On December 16, 2022, during his first start of the season, Reid scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help Minnesota to a 112–110 win over the Thunder.[19] On February 1, 2023, he recorded 24 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in a 119–114 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors.[20] On March 29, during a 107–100 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Reid suffered a left wrist injury in the fourth quarter. Two days later, the Timberwolves announced that he was diagnosed with a left scaphoid fracture of his left wrist and would be out indefinitely.[21]
On June 25, 2023, Reid signed a three-year $42 million contract extension with the Timberwolves. The extension included a player option for the 2025–26 season.[22] On March 8, 2024, Reid scored a career-high 34 points during a 113–104 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers.[23] On April 24, 2024, he received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.[24]
^Edelson, Stephen. "Asbury Park's Nazreon Reid makes the most of his experiences", Asbury Park Press, June 2, 2015. Accessed July 32, 2002. "It's been a heck of a ride over the past year for Nazreon Reid, the 6-10 Asbury Park native who has had intriguing college coaches since he was in middle school.... When high school began, Reid started making the daily trek up to Roselle Catholic, where the freshman would play for the state's latest powerhouse program."
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