LSU freshman big man Naz Reid is entering the NBA Draft and intends to sign with an agent. Releasing a note about his intentions on Instagram, the 6-foot-10 Reid will be one of the most compelling draft prospects after a solid freshman season with the Tigers.
A former McDonald’s All-American, Reid averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as he shot 46 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range during the year. While Reid can look like an elite player during stretches of time, he’s also had a tendency to disappear for large chunks of time.
But when Reid is engaged, he’s one of the more skilled big men who will be in this upcoming draft thanks to his workable perimeter jumper and some ability to put the ball on the floor. Reid could find his way as a first-round pick with some late-lottery upside if he does well in team workouts and interviews as teams will be searching for upside guys in that range.
Without Reid, LSU will hope that Emmitt Williams and Darius Days return for their sophomore seasons while big man Courtese Cooper redshirted this past season after spending some time in the JuCo ranks. Replacing Reid will be tough, but LSU does have some intriguing frontcourt players to move forward with.