UConn star Tarris Reed Jr. continues to make strong impression in NBA Draft Combine scrimmages

Tarris Reed Jr. continued to show what he can do while playing with and against some of the top prospects in this year’s NBA Draft class during Thursday’s five-on-five scrimmage at the combine in Chicago.

The former UConn center was all over the court at Wintrust Arena, impressing with his defensive versatility, his physicality and ability to finish from the post as he continues to ride the momentum of a dominant NCAA Tournament run in March.

Reed came off the bench on Thursday and made an immediate impact with a reverse layup through contact. He quickly got up to seven points in just a handful of first-quarter minutes as he repeatedly finished above the rim. Defensively, the athletic big showed his ability to switch and defend at every level – a trait that will be critical in the NBA.

He finished the scrimmage with 17 points (7-for-9 shooting), five rebounds and two blocks.

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs throughout the journey but it’s just a blessing going through this process,” Reed said on the NBATV broadcast. “First time going through the NBA Combine, AK (Alex Karaban) has helped me through the process, but I’m trying to keep that momentum rolling into the NBA. Just having fun with it, enjoying the journey.”

Reed told reporters in Chicago that passing is his most underrated skill and that he is focused on working on his timing on defense and his physical presence in the post, where he was unstoppable for the Huskies. The big man was at his best in the NCAA Tournament, when he averaged 19.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game to lead the Huskies back to the national championship game.

A native of St. Louis, Reed had nine points, five rebounds and two assists in his first scrimmage on Wednesday.

“Tarris Reed showed off his glue-guy qualities at the NBA Draft Combine, setting screens, ducking in with physicality, passing, going out of his area for rebounds with his 7-4 wingspan and switching onto guards, just like we saw at UConn the last two seasons,” NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony wrote.

Reed figures to have positioned himself as a borderline first-round pick in the June draft. He could be UConn’s sixth first-round pick under coach Dan Hurley and the fifth in the last four years.

Karaban was top shooter

UConn captain Alex Karaban didn’t participate in the 5-on-5 scrimmages at the NBA Draft Combine, but his performance in Monday’s shooting drills and the tape he’s accumulated over the last four seasons with the Huskies is enough for NBA front offices to know what they would be getting.