LSU Lands First High End Recruit of Matt McMahon Era in Forward Jalen Reed
LSU coach Matt McMahon has been hard at work putting together a competitive roster for the 2022 season and the Tigers landed a big commitment on Thursday.
High school forward Jalen Reed committed to the purple and gold, making it the first top 100 recruit to commit to the program under McMahon. This is a bit of a statement get for McMahon in his first few months with the program as the team has gone through a near complete roster overhaul in 2022.
A former signee of the Florida Gators, for the Tigers to grab an SEC caliber player away from another program with all that is going on with this program is a major move in the right direction. A 6-foot-10 forward out of California, Reed is a prototypical stretch big with a nice touch on the outside and has the potential to take it to the rim, though he does need to add some weight when on campus.
“It is a special day in Baton Rouge as we welcome Jalen Reed and his family to LSU,” said Coach McMahon. “Jalen is an incredibly skilled and versatile forward at 6-10. He has the ability to create off the dribble and scores the ball from multiple levels on the court. His length, athleticism, and skill level are a perfect fit for how we’ll play at LSU. We love Jalen’s passion for the game and commitment to his player development. We are looking forward to his arrival on campus this summer.”
There was real skepticism as to the types of players McMahon would be able to bring on board in year one and while the majority have come via the transfer portal, securing a player like Reed is a strong get.
McMahon has also brought in Murray State transfers Justice Hill and Trae Hannibal as well as Mississippi State's Derek Fountain, NC State’s Cam Hayes, Northwestern State’s Kendal Coleman and a commitment from 2022 center Corneilous Williams. The Tigers have also talked Mwani Wilkinson and Justice Williams to return to the program after losing 11 commits since the coaching change.
With nine players now on board with McMahon for the 2022 year, the program is starting to come together in its first season and the work is still far from done.
“We're gonna invest a lot of time with our players. I want people who want to be here, want people who want to be a part of something special because that's what we're gonna build here," McMahon said at his introductory press conference. "My favorite part of the job is not only seeing the best player they can be but the best man they can be. It's my responsibility to grow leaders here at LSU and that's what we're gonna work to do."
