Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Report: UNLV transfer Katin Reinhardt is headed to USC

California v UNLV

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 21: Katin Reinhardt #5 of the UNLV Rebels handles the ball against Tyrone Wallace #3 of the California Golden Bears in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at HP Pavilion on March 21, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Getty Images

In a move that surprised exactly no one, former UNLV guard Katin Reinhardt has decided to transfer to USC. Reinhardt originally committed to the Trojans when he was in high school. The news was first reported by Hoopsworld earlier this week.

Reinhardt is a talented player, ranking among the top 50 recruits coming out of high school. He left UNLV last week in large part because he wanted to play the point, and UNLV wouldn’t guarantee him ball-handling responsibilities.

“Katin would have had an opportunity to compete for minutes at the point, but I’ve never guaranteed anyone that they will start or play a certain number of minutes,” UNLV head coach Dave Rice told the Las Vegas Review-Journal when Reinhardt’s transfer was announced.

The people in Reinhardt’s camp believe that his best chance to make it to the NBA is at the point guard spot, and that could very well be true. He’s 6-foot-5, but he’s not the kind of overwhelming athlete that you typically find at off-guard in the NBA. He can handle the ball and he has playmaking ability, the question is whether or not he is willing to be a point guard or simply a shoot-first scorer that has the ball in his hands.

If Reinhardt, who will become eligible in 2014-2015, is going to find success in Andy Enfield’s system as a point guard, he better be willing to pass the ball. As everyone saw with Florida-Gulf Coast’s run to the Sweet 16 last season, the engine that made Dunk City run was point guard Brett Comer and his ability to find his teammates in transition.

If Reinhardt accepts that role -- if he models his game after someone like Jason Kidd -- than he could end up being a great weapon for Enfield. But if he wants to be the next Jimmer, this may not end up being a match made in heaven.

Regardless, it appears that Reinhardt will be getting the opportunity that he wants -- to be the point guard of a high-major program.

Good for him.

Now let’s see if he can prove that he deserves.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.