Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is absolutely stoked on first-round rookie center Tarris Reed Jr.’s physical play, and honestly, who can blame him? We’ve all seen those young guys who shy away from contact, but Johnson straight up said before Saturday’s 102-98 preseason loss at Phoenix, “You don’t always get young guys that seek contact, that thrive or look for contact. He definitely is one of those guys.” That’s the kind of fire we need!
The Physicality Is Just Different
This 6-foot-10, 270-pound beast from UConn isn’t just catching the coach’s eye, either. His veteran teammates are buzzing about him already. Forward Julian Champagnie was super impressed after Reed dropped 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and pulled down five rebounds in just nine minutes in that Phoenix game. Champagnie put it perfectly: “Tarris is going to be real good in this league. Big body. He’s hungry.” Reed’s got that four-year college grind under his belt, playing at both Michigan and UConn, so he’s not new to being physical and just playing hard. It’s clear he’s bringing that college toughness right into the pros.
The Age Advantage and a Monster Mentor
But it’s not just the physicality that makes Reed stand out; it’s his age. At 23, the dude’s a seasoned vet compared to some of the younger guys the Spurs have drafted recently, like his fellow first-round rookie Jayden Quaintance, who’s only 19. Johnson even threw a little shade, saying there was “a time in a different cycle of my life here where we’d get all these 18-year-old punks.” Reed’s maturity means he’s “been around the wringer of college,” got coached hard at UConn, and just does things naturally that make him a perfect fit. And get this: Reed believes his physicality is gonna help prepare Victor Wembanyama for those brutal battles against big men. He knows Wemby is gonna get attacked, so Reed’s challenging him on the offensive glass when he’s crashing the defensive glass. That’s a teammate right there! Wembanyama, in turn, is helping Reed get ready for the league’s toughest defenders. Reed said Wemby is “probably the tallest person I’ve ever seen and played against,” so facing him in practice means when he’s up against any other 6-10 or 7-1 guy, he’ll be ready because he’s “playing against the best defender in the world.”
This early look at Tarris Reed Jr. is super exciting. He’s bringing that old-school physicality and a surprising level of maturity for a rookie. Keep your eyes peeled as the preseason rolls on, because this guy could be a game-changer.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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