Sixers Rookie Paul Reed Was Thrilled to Score First NBA Points on Friday

Paul Reed wasn't too thrilled to hear his name get called so late during the 2020 NBA Draft, but he was grateful for the opportunity to get drafted, nonetheless. The 21-year-old DePaul product sat by his phone for hours back in November as the draft went on, waiting for a call so he could find out where he would be heading.

With the 58th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers snagged Reed. The rookie wrapped up a three-year stint at DePaul last year. After coming off the bench for almost all of his freshman season, Reed worked his way into the starting lineup by his sophomore year.

As he started in 28 of 36 games back in 2018-2019, Reed averaged 12.3 points-per-game and 8.5 rebounds. After a strong sophomore effort, Reed came back even more motivated for his junior season. As a full-time starter, Reed averaged a career-high of 15.1 points-per-game along with 10.7 rebounds.

Following his strong standout season, Reed declared for the NBA Draft and now finds himself back to square one. As a second-round pick, it was unlikely Reed would earn a guaranteed NBA contract right away. However, the Sixers did reward the rookie with a two-way deal, meaning he will split time between the 76ers and the team's G League affiliates, the Delaware Blue Coats.

With a short offseason and without an opportunity to showcase his skills in the Summer League, Reed was looking forward to showing what he's got on the court during the Sixers' preseason debut against the Boston Celtics last Tuesday.

Hours before the game, Reed tweeted, "first NBA game today y’all wish me luck." Unfortunately, Reed didn't see the court. Following the Sixers' win over the Celtics, Reed took to Twitter once again to motivate himself after failing to get into the game. "Finna have to get it out the mud again," the rookie tweeted.

Motivated to prove he belongs, Reed finally got on the floor for the first time this past Friday night as the Sixers faced the Indiana Pacers. Although he didn't see the court until late, Reed managed to pick up just under five minutes of playing time against the Pacers. He collected one rebound and knocked down two foul shots for two points.

Despite having limited action, Reed wasn't disappointed at all. In fact, the 21-year-old rookie was stoked to score his first points in the NBA. Following the game, Reed hopped on Twitter and reacted after the Sixers defeated the Pacers 113-107.

Scored my first NBA points tonight 😆 lol I’m too lit
— Paul Reed (@Bball_paul) December 19, 2020

With the preseason in the books, Reed likely won't see a ton of action moving forward. Although he'll probably be dressed for the 76ers more often than a two-way player typically would be, the team will likely keep him sidelined for the most part as he's taking on a developmental role in year one.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_