BREAKING: Spurs Finalize Draft Night Trade, Add UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. to Rookie Class

SAN ANTONIO — Adding to their 2026 rookie class, the San Antonio Spurs completed a trade with the Denver Nuggets for the draft rights to UConn's Tarris Reed Jr.

The move, which was finalized late on Tuesday, adds more frontcourt depth for the Spurs, who entered the offseason in clear need of further help behind Victor Wembanyama. Between Kentucky's Jayden Quaintance and Reed, the Spurs certainly got bigger.

"I just thank The Lord for it," Reed told local media on Zoom an hour after he was drafted. "I didn't even get a phone call. My connection was all messed up at the time, so just hearing my name called ... exciting stuff. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus."

The Spurs sent pick No. 35 — its first of three second-round selections — to the Nuggets, along with two future second-round picks in exchange for Reed.

Quaintance, like Reed, stands 6-foot-10 with a wingspan over 7 feet. Both players weigh in at 250 pounds or heavier, giving the Spurs substantial size in units without Wembanyama or Luke Kornet. The pair of rookies now join a talented frontcourt behind the Frenchman.

Reed, especially, brings a scoring ability that led UConn coach Dan Hurley to "hand him the keys" to the offense, which powered a NCAA tournament championship berth in April.

“Our season is going to be determined by what Tarris Reed does," Hurley said of the center. "Which Tarris Reed (are) we getting? Does the light switch go on for Tarris Reed?"

UConn Huskies forwards Tarris Reed Jr. (5) and Alex Karaban (11) high five Monday, April 6, 2026, during the NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After spending two seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, Reed transferred to join a UConn squad fresh off its 2024 title run. In his second and last season with the Huskies, Reed averaged 14.7 points, nine rebounds and two blocks on 60 percent shooting from the field.

Reed isn't afraid to do the dirty work. It's part of his new M.O.

"I'm not coming here to be no superstar," the rookie said. "I'm coming here to do my job and do what is asked of me. Whatever it is, (I'm going to) do it to the best of my abilities."

The highlight of Reed's college career came in the first round of UConn's NCAA tournament run in March, when the center became the first player since Houston's Elvin Hayes 1968 to log at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in a single tournament game.

Reed also expressed excitement in joining fellow UConn product Stephon Castle. While the two didn't play together, they have a relationship and a shared experience of the expectations of one of the most demanding coaches and programs in college basketball.

"Having two UConn guys on the same team is like a cheat code," Reed said.

Castle went on to win a national championship, but Reed's UConn squad lost to Michigan in the NCAA tournament championship, giving him a way to empathize with the squad he's joining, which also sat and watched as an opposing team hoist its trophy in June.

"I know what the feeling is to go work for something so hard," Reed said. "You have sleepless nights about it: winning the national championship, winning The Finals. And you just come up short. It's something that really does stick with you, even to this day."

He continued: "It's an uncomfortable feeling. Having the guys that have really been in it, having a chip on their shoulder ... I feel like that's a big thing going in the next year."

Reed and Quaintance now join a loaded Spurs roster pining for a return to the NBA Finals in Wembanyama's fourth season. While Quaintance continues to work through recovery for a right ACL and meniscus tear suffered in February 2025, Reed is primed to make an immediate impact off the bench and in both Summer League sessions.

The Spurs, assuming both rookies sign rookie scale contracts, will have 10 guaranteed contracts next season. Julian Champagnie's potential extension will mark 11.

Basic Information

Name: Tarris Reed Jr.

Age: 22

Position: Center

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

Prior: University of Connecticut (UConn)

Height: 6'11"

Weight: 264 lbs

Wingspan: 7'4.25"

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