LSU’s Naz Reid declares for NBA Draft

By ADAM ZAGORIA

LSU freshman big man Naz Reid has declared for the NBA Draft and plans to sign with an agent.

This comes as no surprise as ZAGSBLOG reported during the NCAA Tournament that LSU expected to lose the Asbury Park, N.J. native and former Roselle (N.J.) Catholic star.

The 6-foot-10 Reid is currently projected as the No. 47 pick per ESPN.com. A number of NBA teams have recently checked in with Reid’s high school coach, Dave Boff, including San Antonio.

“I will be entering the NBA Draft with an agent in hopes of finally fulfilling a dream I believe is my destiny,” Reid wrote on Instagram.

LSU’s Naz Reid declares for the NBA Draft. No surprise. Former @rc_basketball guy and Asbury Park native. pic.twitter.com/TO1Y7cclHt

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 3, 2019

Reid averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds on the season as LSU reached the Sweet 16 before losing to Michigan State last Friday in Washington, D.C. He went for 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first-round win over Yale, and then had 13 points and 4 rebounds in the victory over Maryland. He also set the key screen in the final seconds that enabled Tremont Waters to score on a game-winning layup.

LSU and former @rc_basketball big man Naz Reid getting ready to dunk on @Yale_Basketball pic.twitter.com/HSPwmt1wOO

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 21, 2019

“He’s a winner and he’s won everywhere he’s been,” LSU assistant Greg Heiar said. “Every team he’s ever been on, he’s a winner and he’s going to do whatever it takes to win and that’s what makes him a special player.”

Reid led Roselle Catholic to the New Jersey Tournament of Champions title in 2018, the program’s third such crown since 2013 under Boff. He was one of three McDonald’s All-Americans from New Jersey last year, too.

Heiar said there are still misconceptions about Reid from NBA personnel and others, and he can’t understand why.

“Everybody for whatever reasons has their question marks about Naz Reid as far as does he work hard, does he play hard,” Heiar said. “We can’t even get him out of drills in practice. He’s lost 30 pounds. He’s a winner. He does everything you want and I don’t think they really know who he really is.”

Asked why that was, Heiar said, “I don’t know, I don’t understand it, but he’s a wonderful young man, he’s a hard-working young man. He’s where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be. He loves the game of basketball, he loves his teammates and he’s like a coach on the floor with skills. He’s only going to keep getting better and better and better and he works at it.”

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