Freshman LSU point guard Jalen Reece has announced his commitment to Texas A&M after entering the transfer portal and visiting with head coach Bucky McMillan and the team.
Reece entered college with the expectation of filling a bench role for the Tigers, but after Dedan Thomas Jr. was sidelined with a season-ending injury, Reece was thrust into a role nobody could’ve expected. After averaging 18.2 minutes a night over the first 24 games of the season, Reece averaged 40.5 minutes a game over his last 8 games. He played so much that the 25 minutes of overtime LSU played over these 8 games exceeded his 21 minutes on the bench over the same period, averaging an absurdly low 2.6 minutes on the bench.
While some players crumble under pressure, Reece thrived. He increased his per-40 averages from 8.1 PPG and 5.7 APG to 11.8 PPG and 6.7 APG while also bumping his three point percentage from 23.8% to 37.1%, his two point clip from 38.9% to 41.7%, and his FT% from 65.1% to 81.0%.
It is true that this 8-game sample is small, and it’s therefore hard to definitively claim that Reece is the player we saw at the end of the season rather than at the beginning. But if there’s anyone who believes in Reece, it’s McMillan.
McMillan and Reece go back, with the Aggie coach first being introduced to Jalen’s father at a tournament. After a triple OT victory against the Tigers in the last game of the regular season, McMillan said, “I’ve actually known his dad. Years ago, he coached in the Jordan Brand Classic with me.” He followed, “I watched Reece play in high school. He’s a great player, and he’s playing like a great player, like a veteran player this time of year.”
Reece will not have the same burden he carried at the end of his LSU tenure at Texas A&M, as he is currently projected to be a backup behind Kansas State star PJ Haggerty and Westchester Knicks product Bryson Warren.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Rising star point guard commits to Texas A&M from conference rival
Reporting by Sam Allred, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
