Former Michigan forward Tarris Reed Jr. commits to UConn men’s basketball
Former University of Michigan big man Tarris Reed Jr. has committed to the UConn men’s basketball program for next season.
Reed, a 6-foot-10, 265-pound sophomore who averaged 9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shot 52 percent from the field, visited the Huskies during their championship parade in Hartford on Saturday. The St. Louis native was a four-star recruit coming out of high school at Link Academy in Branson, Mo. in 2022, and ranked by ESPN as the No. 9 center in the class.
Though his Michigan team struggled mightily last season, finishing 8-24 and in last place at 3-17 in the Big Ten, Reed was a consistent scorer and rebounder for the Wolverines. He started 31 of 32 games and put up a season-high 20 points in an 88-73 loss to Illinois on Jan. 18. Reed grabbed a season-best 15 rebounds to go along with 12 points in a 69-59 loss to Rutgers on Feb. 3.
The 20-year-old entered his name into the transfer portal three days after Michigan fired head coach Juwan Howard on March 15. The school hired former Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May to replace Howard.
Reed should compete for UConn’s vacant starting center position after Donovan Clingan declared for the NBA Draft. UConn head coach Dan Hurley made it clear the team would be looking for big men in the transfer portal this offseason. 6-10 forward Samson Johnson, who will be a senior next season was Clingan’s backup this year, is also expected to compete for the starting center role. The two could end up splitting playing time much like Johnson and Clingan did last season, and Clingan and Adama Sanogo did in 2023.
More to come.
