The UConn standout details his desire to join San Antonio's "humble and hungry" culture while providing the physical, selfless interior presence needed to complement superstar Victor Wembanyama.
In response to the emergence of San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, the NBA is experiencing a major shift.
The "double-big" lineup is becoming more prevalent in an attempt to slow down Wembanyama.
But don't just take my word for it ... have a look around the league.
Centers have come at a premium this summer. Longtime depth pieces like Jock Landale, Moritz Wagner and Jusuf Nurkic all landed new eight-figure contracts as teams continue searching for answers to Wembanyama.
Fortunately for San Antonio, it doesn't have to overpay for a secondary big. It already employs the league's ultimate matchup problem and drafted two frontcourt complements in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Kentucky's Jayden Quaintance was the Spurs' first choice on draft night — but he's still nursing a torn ACL he suffered as a Wildcat. That's why San Antonio traded back into the first round for UConn's Tarris Reed Jr.
The Spurs were Reed's "first choice," as he detailed in a newly released interview with News 4 San Antonio.
“I like the culture. I mean, having a group of young guys that’s like humble and hungry and having a chip on their shoulder," Reed said. "You know, like it’s different when like you’re really trying to reach something like a big huge goal."
Reed made his debut in the silver and black during the Spurs' summer league opener against the Miami Heat. In his first professional action, Reed converted just three of his 10 field-goal attempts while finishing with 10 points, but his impact extended well beyond the final box score.
Just as he did up in Storrs, Reed's willingness to do the dirty work made a major impact. He dominated the boards and set soul-crushing screens to open up lanes for his teammates — highlighting his selfless desire to do whatever may be needed.
"I know it starts first day of training camp, you know pushing each other," Reed continued. "So having a group of guys like this, and me having my experience, them having their experience, we could both just push each other.”
Reed's offensive game will take time to develop, but that isn't why San Antonio targeted him.
The Spurs wanted a physical, selfless big man willing to embrace the little things next to Wembanyama. If his first outing was any indication, they may have found exactly that.
And the fact that Reed landed exactly where he wanted to be only makes the fit even more promising.
