Reed Leaving Michigan for UConn

The Story: The UConn men landed their prized transfer portal prospect yesterday afternoon when Tarris Reed Jr. decided to leave Michigan to spend his next two seasons in Storrs.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Reed was considered one of the most outstanding big men to enter the transfer portal, and his decision appeared to be a no-brainer after he chose the Huskies after taking in the national championship parade last weekend. (Not bad for a coach who was clearly stressed out by the transfer portal.)

• A 6-foot-10, 265-pound forward/center from St. Louis, Reed started all but one game for the Wolverines last season and averaged nine points, 7.2 rebounds in 26.5 minutes a game. He was a role player as a freshman and averaged 3.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.6 minutes off the bench.

• Reed was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2022 who chose Michigan over Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan State.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING: Reed figures to be the Huskies’ starting center next season with Donovan Clingan heading to the NBA, but Samson Johnson is expected to return for his senior year and will form another two-headed monster in the middle.

• UConn is also expected to have 6-foot-10 center Youssouf Singare back for his sophomore season to provide even more depth in the middle. Singare only played 47 minutes for the Huskies last year and only once appeared in more than five in a game.

WHAT DID REED SAY? “I chose UConn for its winning culture, commitment to player development and coaching style,” Reed briefly told On3. “Coach [Dan] Hurley‘s tough coaching style is known for pushing players into uncomfortable situations, making the uncomfortable seem comfortable. UConn provides the ideal setting and coaching for me to maximize my potential both on and off the court.”

HIGH HOPES: Hurley has expressed disdain for the transfer portal in the past but accepts it as a reality of modern college athletics. And he should, considering he’s hit more than he’s missed while at UConn, with Tristen Newton (ECU), Cam Spencer (Rutgers), Joey Calcaterra (San Diego), Nahiem Alleyne (Virginia Tech) and Hassan Diarra (Texas A&M) all playing key roles in the Huskies’ two-year title run.

MORE TO COME? UConn, which has two scholarships open next season assuming everyone returns (and we’re sure at least Stephon Castle won’t), is on the short list for 6-foot-7 sharpshooter Liam McNeely. He’ll make an official visit to UConn next week.

• McNeely, who was the only player committed to Indiana before he decided to reopen his recruitment after the season ended, is the No. 15-ranked player in the Class of 2024 and the fourth-ranked small forward. He took official visits to Texas and Kansas before choosing the Hoosiers.

• The Huskies have two incoming freshmen in Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham, and a commitment from McNeely would put their 25th-ranked recruiting class over the top.

• ESPN’s latest mock draft has Clingan going No. 3 to the Trail Blazers, Castle at No. 8 to the Jazz and Alex Karaban joining Clingan with the 40th pick.

— Zac Boyer

Morning Reads

• The men’s basketball team isn’t the only UConn program opening eyes with a Big Ten transfer. The football team landed a commitment from TJ Sheffield, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound former Purdue wide receiver who has caught an average of 38 passes for 1,186 yards and nearly four touchdowns a game over the past three seasons.

• The U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced at its awards banquet last night that it will name its annual women’s basketball coach of the year award after Geno Auriemma, who has won it five times (but not since 2017).

• Center Ruslan Iskhakov became the seventh former UConn player to reach the NHL last night when he was called up by the Islanders and played 14:11 with an assist in their 5-4 win over the Penguins on the final day of the regular season. Iskhakov was drafted in the second round by New York in 2018 and played the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons in Storrs.

Top photo: Dan Hurley directs his players in the Huskies’ Big East tournament game against Providence at Madison Square Garden. (Ian Bethune for The UConn Daily)