Michigan Lands Former LSU Big Man Jalen Reed After Injury-Plagued Seasons

The Wolverines have added their second transfer addition.

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Michigan has been connected to some big names in the transfer portal, but the Wolverines haven't been able to land any of the names that have been mentioned. Instead, Dusty May has been working behind the scenes to bring a pair of players in that weren't on anyone's radar.

It first started with Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, who committed to Michigan out of nowhere. But then on Thursday, the Wolverines added their second transfer commitment after LSU big man Jalen Reed committed to Michigan — which came out of left field.

The 6'10". 245-pound forward has been with LSU for four seasons, but he has only been able to play two full seasons with the Tigers — which were his first two years with LSU.

Injury-filled seasons

Jalen Reed has a high ceiling, but it comes with big question marks. Reed played in just eight games two seasons ago, before he suffered a torn ACL. Reed started all eight games and was going to be a big part of what LSU did on the court.

After healing, Reed was once again expected to play a big part for LSU this past year. But after playing in six games off the bench, Reed suffered an Achilles injury that required surgery and he would have to miss the rest of the season.

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Looking for a fresh start, Reed opted to enter the transfer portal. With two years of eligibility remaining, Reed was ranked as 247Sports' No. 142 player in the transfer portal with a four-star ranking.

Coming out of high school, Reed was a top-80 prospect and a four-star recruit when he signed with the Tigers.

If he can stay healthy, Reed has a high ceiling

Reed proved he could play full seasons in his first two years at LSU. He played in 33 and 32 games in his first two seasons in Louisiana and Reed put up respectable numbers.

In his sophomore season, starting in 20 games, Reed averaged 7.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The 6'10" forward also shot nearly 40% from three in 2023-24. He saw more than 22 minutes of action per game.

In 2024-25, while playing in just eight games, you could really see the ceiling for Reed. The then-junior was averaging 11.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and one block, while shooting 50% from three — attempting one three per game. But the torn ACL derailed what was supposed to be a big season for Reed.

This pickup may not have anything to do with what Morez Johnson Jr. is going to do, but Reed should provide solid depth coming off the bench. This move could be more of the Will Tschetter role for Michigan in 2026-27.