7/20/2021 basketball Edit

Michigan Basketball Recruiting: All Eyes on Big Man Tarris Reed

Chris Balas • Maize&BlueReview

Senior Editor

Michigan head coach Juwan Howard put his best foot forward for St. Louis product Tarris Reed on the big man's June visit to Ann Arbor. Now, Reed has exploded into one of the faster rising big men in the country.

Howard first saw Reed live in the spring when he saw him play against Howard's son, Jett Howard. The MoKan Elite center received an offer immediately afterward, and the relationship has only grown since.

Reed averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds at Nike EYBL in Augusta, leading his MoKan Elite team to a 5-2 record minus five-star point guard Skyy Clark. That included 21 points and four rebounds in a loss to MeanStreets July 13.

He's continued to play extremely well at Peach Jam.

"I want to play for a place that feels like home, a place that is comfortable for me. When I get on campus there, I want to go to a place that makes me feel happy," he said in June. "I don’t have a time frame yet for when I want to commit or anything. I am kind of taking my time with everything so I can sit back and make the best decision for myself.”

He's told folks close to him he wants to end it "sooner than later," however, and that could mean by the end of this month. Several believe Michigan took a slight lead over Ohio State and Big Ten brethren Michigan State and Purdue thanks to the great visit, but the Buckeyes in particular also remain strong.

"He loved Juwan and the fact that he had obviously played and coached at the NBA level, specifically at the position Tarris plays," MoKan program leader Matt Suther told us a few weeks back. "Juwan spends time working with the front court himself."

As for the university as a whole ...

"The tradition and history speak for themselves," he said. "He really likes the coaches, enjoyed his visit a lot. [Howard] has done a great job. He had success immediately at Michigan, and watching from afar, I've been impressed with the style of play, how unselfish his team was. He seems to be committed to being there for the long haul, which is obviously very important [to Reed]."

The All-Metro player of the year in St. Louis, the 6-foot-10 Reed averaged 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He'd have even more interest had more coaches been able to watch him in person, Suther insisted.

"He had a really good spring," he said. "Some of these kids really kind of have not been seen for a year now because of Covid stuff. If that wouldn’t have happened, he probably would have been getting the attention.

"But he can score in many ways. He can score in the low post, has a great frame; a really strong body. He's really good around the rim, a really good rebounder, and can also step out and make jump shots ... more of power forward stretch."

He can also defend the paint, and he's been outstanding in that role this summer. He said recently player development is going to be one of the biggest factors in his decision — he wants to play in the NBA, and he's looking for someone to push him and stay on him to help him get there — and perhaps nobody in the country is better prepared to help him than Juwan Howard.

His mom is also huge on academics, he added, and he's looking for a business and marketing degree.

"She pushed me every day on the academics, wants the best for me," he said.

Watch for more on Reed in the days leading up to his decision.