The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2021 THE WOLVERINE 63 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan head coach Juwan Howard is already known as one of the better big man coaches in the country, having tutored Big Ten Freshman of the Year Hunter Dick- inson and veteran Austin Davis last year to their potential. Four-star cen- ter Tarris Reed has taken note, and while the St. Louis native has great options from which to choose, U-M seems to be surging for the 6-10, class of 2022 standout. Reed has narrowed his list to four with a decision coming Aug. 5, and a visit to Ann Arbor might have put U-M over the top. He's also visited Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State, while Kentucky and others have been trying to get involved, to no avail. He was blown away on his trip to Ann Arbor, though, and that might be the difference. "He really liked his visit," Mokan Elite AAU program director Matt Suther said. "They're definitely in the mix when it comes to being the school he picks. He's going through the process, has visited four schools, is going through the pros and cons of each, trying to figure it out." Several sources indicated Reed was extremely impressed with what he saw of a Wolverines' workout in which Howard was actively working with his big men. He was assured it wasn't for show — that's what Howard, a longtime NBA standout and coach, does — and liked what he saw of his potential head coach as a teacher. "He loved Juwan and the fact that he had obviously played and coached at the NBA level, specifi- cally at the position Tarris plays," Suther continued. "Juwan spends time working with the frontcourt himself." Howard first saw Reed live in the spring when he played against Jett Howard, Howard's son and a touted 2022 recruit who seems likely to end up in Ann Arbor. The lanky and im- proving center received an offer im- mediately afterward, and the rela- tionship has only grown since. Reed averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds at Nike EYBL in Georgia 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 for- mer U-M wide receiver Tai Streets' MeanStreets program July 13. He has continued to play extremely well at the Augusta (Ga.) Peach Jam, the biggest grassroots event of the year, and was named Rivals.com na- tional analyst Jamie Shaw's biggest stock riser at the CP3 Memorial Day Classic. "Reed comes on the floor with a strong frame and long arms. This weekend, he showed versatility on the offensive end of the floor," Shaw reported. "With range off the catch extending beyond the arc, he showed a go-to move over his left shoulder to go with pick-and-pop ability from 18 feet. "Reed has strong arms and great touch, and is a good area rebounder." He's only gotten better, and he's set to take a huge jump from his No. 90 national ranking (Rivals.com). He'll be taking his talents to Branson (Mo.) Link Year next season, where some analysts believe he'll continue to blossom into a top-20 prospect in his class. None of it is surprising to Suther, who realized long ago Reed had the potential for greatness. "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 prob- ably would have been getting the attention. "But he can score in many ways. He can score in the low post, has a great frame and a really strong body. He's really good around the rim, a really good rebounder, and can also step BASKETBALL RECRUITING Is Four-Star Big Man Tarris Reed Next For Juwan Howard And Michigan? Reed is down to four schools and will announce his decision between Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State Aug. 5. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM