NEW YORK — At 6 feet, 10 inches and with a chiseled frame, Naz Reid looks the part of a future professional basketball player.
The Sports U and Roselle Catholic big man has lived up to his potential in the first live period of April, with Division 1 coaches raving about his basketball IQ and diverse skillset while playing at Basketball City on the Under Armor Association circuit.
“I feel like I’m playing alright, I could do better,” he told me on Saturday. “I could do better scoring-wise, but it will come.”
A literal Who’s Who of college programs are watching Reid and his Sports U teammates, including Jahvon Quinerly and Luther Muhammad, here this weekend. Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Louisville, Maryland, St. John’s, Rutgers and Seton Hall are just some of the schools sitting courtside.
Reid met this past week with Kentucky coach John Calipari, who has tracked Reid for several years now out of the same high school that produced former Wildcats guard Isaiah Briscoe.
“It’s a winning team,” he said. “‘[Their message is] just stay focused, run the floor, do what I do best. Be the best version of me.”
Asked if Kentucky — who had assistant Tony Barbee on hand — might offer him after evaluating him this spring, Reid said, “Yes.”
Maryland is also making a hard push for Reid, with head coach Mark Turgeon and assistant Bino Ranson on hand.
“They’ve been here since freshman year,” he said of Maryland
Reid also met with both Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell and Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, while St. John’s coach Chris Mullin couldn’t make it because of his hip surgery. Still, sources say St. John’s remains in strong position.
“They’re all saying the same thing, just run the floor, rebound and score the ball,” Reid said. “They’re all bout winning, they preach winning. I’m a sore loser.”
North Carolina had new assistant Brad Frederick on hand while Kansas had assistant Norm Roberts for Reid and Quinerly.
“Best version of me, go out their with a mentality to win and do my best,” he said of their message.
Reid says he plans to cut his list sometime this summer and go from there.
“Yeah,” he said, “most likely that’s what I’m going to do.”
