Analyzing reported finalists for five-star NCAA Basketball prospect Efton Reid
Pittsburgh Panthers
With both Terrell Brown and Abdoul Karim Coulibaly transferred out and freshman big John Hugely’s status with the program in question, the Panthers literally have no true centers on the roster. And with star forward Justin Champagnie in the NBA Draft process, the team could easily offer Reid the world in terms of as much playing time as possible, as well as the No. 1 role on offense. Reid would put up major stats and play in the ACC to have a high draft stock and play for a good developing head coach in Jeff Capel.
On the flip side, Reid’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament, with or without Champagnie would be slim next season. Pittsburgh is easily the worst team among the group of options and it would be hard to see him say no to big programs like Ohio State, UVA and Florida State. But sometimes, the most important thing for players is to get on the court. And no one can guarantee that more than the Panthers.
Virginia Cavaliers
As the “hometown” option of the group, Virginia could have a potential advantage in the Reid sweepstakes. They also have plenty of playing time to offer in the frontcourt, with both Jay Huff and Sam Hauser having moved on. And even after adding Indiana transfer guard Armaan Franklin, the Cavaliers still are in need of offensive production, especially in the frontcourt to balance out the offense.
The biggest question here is whether or not, the slow-paced offensive system would benefit Reid’s draft stock. By nature, the big man won’t average a ton of points and rebounds due to how they play. However, Virginia’s history of winning and sending talented players to the NBA Draft could be compelling enough to sway the five-star freshman.
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In the end, the rumors are that Pittsburgh and Ohio State are the teams to beat for Reid’s services. It’s the ultimate battle of possibly playing for a Final Four spot versus playing as much as possible and having a large role. You can’t go wrong with either but let’s see where Efton Reid ultimately stands.