Naz Reid Declares for 2019 NBA Draft, Hires Agent After 1 Season at LSU

LSU freshman forward Naz Reid, who averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds during his lone collegiate season, has announced his intention to enter the 2019 NBA draft.  

Reid revealed his future plans via an Instagram post (h/t Amie Just of the New Orleans Times-Picayune):

The 6'10" big man helped guide the Tigers to a 28-7 record and Sweet 16 appearance in the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

Reid is ranked No. 44 on the big board of Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. The draft analyst wrote the following on March 19:

"Mixed results of scoring versatility, poor shot selection and defensive indifference should ultimately lead to a wide draft range for the freshman. He's taken a big fall down our board since October, when we overranked him to start the season. His rebounding numbers (10.5 per 40) and shot-blocking (1.2 per 40) have been underwhelming, as has his basketball IQ and motor. But at a certain point in the draft, Reid's face-up shot creation and perimeter shot-making will appear worth gambling on..."

Aran Smith of NBADraft.net ranks Reid 23rd overall, and ESPN.com lists him 50th on its top-100 prospect list.

We'll likely see how teams feel about Reid shortly. The pre-draft process is about to ramp up, especially when the NBA Scouting Combine begins May 14 in Chicago.

However, Reid does have the opportunity to return to school if he so chooses. Per Just:

"All players, even ones who ultimately return to school, can have certified agents guide them through the process. The deadline to submit into the NBA Draft and be represented by an agent is April 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Those agents must be NBPA-certified. Players who return to college must end their representation agreement with agents before enrolling in the next academic term."

But LSU is in a difficult spot. Head coach Will Wade has been suspended indefinitely by the university after "reports surfaced about FBI wiretaps in which Wade discussed an offer he made to a recruit," per Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post. Pat Forde, Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports wrote the original report.

Therefore, it's unclear who will coach the Tigers next season, which naturally creates an unsettling future for current LSU players.

If Reid does stay in the draft, he'll wait to hear his name called on Thursday, June 20. The event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.