Former PDS star Reed excited to join Suns
From Princeton Day to the NBA.
For the second year in a row, a Mercer County hoops star was selected in the NBA Draft.
The Phoenix Suns took former Princeton Day School and University of Miami star Davon Reed with the second pick of the second round (No. 32 overall) on Thursday night.
Reed met the Phoenix media on Friday.
“It’s my third time here now, and the weather is really hot,” Reed said during an introductory press conference. “It’s different than Miami heat, but I’m ready to get to work.”
Suns general manager Ryan McDonough described Reed as a “blue-collar player.”
“We needed somebody that could defend their position, make open spot-up shots and brought some toughness and grit and reliability,” he said. “We feel Davon checks all those boxes.”
Reed, a four-year player at the University of Miami, averaged 14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 35.3 minutes per game. He shot 43.3 percent from the floor and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc on six attempts per contest.
He worked out twice for the Suns in the lead-up to the draft.
“The 3 and D label is thrown around quite casually nowadays, but Reed truly has the ingredients NBA teams are looking for in this role,” wrote Draft Express in a scouting report. “He’s 6’5.5 with a 7’0 wingspan and a projectable frame, is a very willing defender who competes and has versatility on that end, he spaces the floor comfortably (lifetime 37.8 percent from three on 646 attempts), and has a solid feel for the game.”
Reed, 22, joins a Suns team that went 24-58 last season and used the No. 4 overall pick on Kansas forward Josh Jackson and No. 54 selection on Valparaiso’s Alec Peters.
“I want to work on my body to be able to compete at this level against some of the fastest, strongest and physically gifted players in the level,” Reed said. “Then continue to make plays off the dribble and show that I’m able to do that when (I) need to.”
A Ewing native, Reed follows Malachi Richardson as local prep standouts drafted into the NBA. Richardson was selected in the 2016 first round by the Charlotte Hornets and then dealt to the Sacramento Kings.
Richardson spent the majority of his rookie campaign in the D-League before an injury ended his season. He appeared in 22 games for the Kings, averaging 3.6 points per game.
While Charles Cooke didn’t hear his name called on Thursday night, the former Trenton Catholic Academy and Dayton guard landed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent.
Cooke averaged 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Flyers.