​How glorious it is to see Tarris Reed Jr. end up a San Antonio Spur. The Bear slipped into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, quietly climbing boards in recent weeks thanks to eye-catching measurements and standout workouts. He’ll pair with another Husky alum, Steph Castle, on one of the league’s most formidable teams.
After watching Huskies land with franchises that have faltered in recent years, like Charlotte and New Orleans, Reed reaching San Antonio feels like a breath of fresh air. The Spurs, built by RC Buford and Gregg Popovich, run their operation like a finely tuned machine, consistently finding and developing talent late in the draft. Names such as Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Dejounte Murray, and Derrick White are proof of that approach, and Reed’s selection fits the franchise’s proven blueprint.
Beyond the organizational pedigree, there’s a clearly defined path for Reed Jr. to contribute early. Backup center Luke Kornet is entering year two of a $41 million contract and is a 7’1” presence who posted six points and six rebounds per game last season in a career-high 21 minutes, yet averaged only 3.7 points in 13 minutes during the playoffs. The Spurs needed more than size in the post to back up Victor Wembanyama, and they lacked a reliable option to provide scoring when Wemby sat beyond Dylan Harper. Kornet offered little beyond occasional lobs, and his athleticism was exposed in switches on defense.
Enter Tarris Reed Jr., a player who can keep frontcourts honest and who made significant strides as a defender in his second year under Hurley, embracing the intense defensive demands placed on big men. He already possessed the mobility to stay in front of quicker operators and the length to recover; now he has the ability to read angles and defenses with greater nuance.
There’s a real possibility Reed could carve out a share of Kornet’s minutes in his rookie season. That would be a solid baseline for a rookie. Using the role classifications below, Reed could slot into two viable backup-big paths in the league. He’s already a capable post scorer, a skill that should translate to professional basketball, albeit not as the primary option. His ability to become a dependable roll-and-cut big will ultimately define his ceiling.
The demand for an athletic, mobile, space-eating big was palpable. Reed Jr. was essentially San Antonio’s second move in their backlog plan at center, following a broader commitment to the position from the draft. Six selections earlier, the Spurs drafted Jaiden Quaintance, a 6’10” Kentucky product. Quaintance is recovering from meniscus surgery, having appeared in only four games for Kentucky last season. On paper, Quaintance is a skilled two-way big who can protect the rim at an elite level, but his health must stabilize for him to reach his ceiling.
In a perfect scenario, Reed and Quaintance would form a dynamic, complementary duo off the bench, protecting Wemby the same way Kornet did before him, while absorbing the physical grind that comes with backing up a rookie sensation. The difference, though, is that both Reed and Quaintance carry higher ceiling projections than Kornet, offering more potential long-term upside.
San Antonio’s timing with its draft plan makes sense, even if Quaintance’s timetable remains unclear. They added a mobile, athletic, space-occupying big in Reed, and then pursued another high-ceiling big in Quaintance, who can develop alongside the franchise’s core. For Reed, the alignment with a well-run organization, a clear path to minutes, and the chance to grow within a system that values development and versatility makes the Spurs a compelling landing spot. Time will tell how quickly he can translate his tools into sustained on-court impact, but the foundation is solid, and the fit with San Antonio’s long-term blueprint is promising.