Memphis and Head Coach Penny Hardaway are busy early in the transfer portal, having been linked to several names already. They were recently linked to Michigan transfer PG Dug McDaniel; yesterday night, they were officially linked to Michigan transfer C Tarris Reed Jr – one of the best bigs currently available in the transfer portal.
Who is Tarris Reed Jr.?
Reed will be a junior next season, as he spent the first two years of his career at Michigan. He is listed at 6’10” and 265 pounds. Reed had a solid second season for the Wolverines, as he averaged 9.0 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.9% from the field. These numbers were a drastic improvement from his first season at Michigan.
Strengths
Finishing at The Rim
Reed has a good combination of strength and finesse in his game, which he utilizes well around the rim. According to Synergy, Reed is finishing 62% of his shots around the rim. Reed does a good job of using his size to carve out space in the paint, making it easy for his guards to make entry passes. Catching the ball around the rim allows Reed to take better-quality shots – likely why he is shooting well around the rim.
Defense
Reed is a very good vertical athlete for his size – which allows him to contest shots around the rim easily without fouling. According to Synergy, Reed has a 5.3% block rate – meaning that he blocks 5.3% of the other team’s shots. Reed’s size and athleticism make it hard for opponents to crash the offensive glass, as well as find quality shots around the rim.
Offensive Rebounding
According to Synergy, Reed has an 11.4% offensive rebounding rate. This means that he records an offensive rebound on 11.4% of his team’s shots. Given his size and where he positions himself on the court, this number should not come as a surprise.
Weaknesses
Turnovers
According to Synergy, Reed has a 21% turnover rate. This means that Reed turns the ball over 21% of the time that he possesses the ball. A significant amount of his turnovers came off of mishandled entry passes or dropoffs in the post – which a lot of the blame should be put onto Michigan’s guards. Additionally, Reed is a limited playmaker out of the high post – often making difficult passes intercepted by the defense.
Player Comparison
Player Comparison: Memphis C Malcolm Dandridge
