TAMPA, Fla. (February 16, 2024) – He's a 19-year-old freshman point guard, the player who puts the get-up-and-go into USF men's basketball, the orchestrator and floor director of what has become one of the hottest teams in America.
 
Jayden Reid said he often gets questions.
 
"They say, 'How do you do it? You're so young,''' Reid said. "I don't feel young at all. I feel like I belong.''
 
So, when Sunday afternoon's dramatics unfold, when the Bulls (18-5, 11-1 American Athletic Conference) host the No. 24-ranked Florida Atlantic Owls (20-5, 10-2) before an ESPN national audience and a sold-out Yuengling Center crowd, don't expect Reid to be overcome by the big-time occasion.
 
His basketball life has prepared him for this moment.
 
Reid, 5-foot-10 and 161 pounds, played at nationally prominent Long Island Lutheran High School — better known as "LuHi'' for the hoop's junkies — where he competed daily against four-star and five-star prospects, some of whom have landed at places such as UConn, Ohio State, Virginia, Baylor, and Pittsburgh.
 
"I'm a real New York point guard,'' Reid said with a smile. "That's real New York City. Not just the suburbs.''
 
Reid has mixed it up at the famed Rucker Park. His parents used to drive him to the Bronx three times a week, so he could play for the renowned New York Gauchos AAU program.
 
Swagger and toughness are not foreign concepts.
 
"When we recruited him, I fell in love with Jayden's confidence,'' Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. "He plays the hardest position on the court and he has done a pretty dang good job of it. He doesn't surprise me at all, but I tell him, 'I'm not going to congratulate you or hug you for something you're supposed to do. Now you do something extraordinary and I'll give you a big ol' hug.' He knows how this game goes. He knows what to do. We trust him a lot.''
 
Reid is averaging 6.7 points, while shooting an eye-popping 48.7 percent from 3-point range, and has a team-leading 82 assists against just 35 turnovers. In his first USF game, he had a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists (with just one turnover).
 
He's stacking up late-game highlights.
 
At Memphis, he drove for a game-tying reverse layup with 37 seconds remaining. At North Texas, he sank two free throws with 19 seconds remaining, giving USF a three-point advantage. He positioned the Bulls for a win against Charlotte with a mid-court steal and score with 1:10 remaining, pulling USF within one. With the outcome wavering at Rice in the final minutes, he provided a six-point margin on a jet-like driving layup, then a 3-point dagger.
 
"He's a killer, man,'' Bulls guard Chris Youngblood said. "Some nights, he might just have two points. But he needs to understand that his impact is still very big.''
 
"J.R. is a fighter,'' Bulls forward Sam Hines said. "He's unafraid. He performs so well under those bright lights.''
 
As it turns out, Reid's ability to perform is nothing new, either. And it goes beyond the court.
 
Comfortable On The Stage
Reid once played the saxophone and trombone for his school's stage band and marching band.
 
He sang in the chorus, once killing it with a solo in a Christmas concert.
 
He loves theatre, appearing in several plays and musicals.
 
"For people who really know Jayden, I would just say, 'Does any of that really surprise you?' '' Abdur-Rahim said. "How many grown adults have a deep fear of public speaking? For that kid to get up on the stage and act, to perform in front of his peers when that maybe isn't one of the cool things to do in high school, to me that says everything about the kid. He's secure.''
 
"It would be very interesting to see him act or sing,'' Hines said. "I'd go to see it. He has a great personality. I can actually see it happening.''
 
Reid, who once appeared in a commercial for PBS Kids, said his "Plan B'' is an acting career. He's intrigued by his godfather, Rommell Witherspoon, a basketball coach who has appeared in diverse television programs such as "Blue Bloods'' and "Person Of Interest'' and "Madam Secretary,'' along with commercials.
 
"My teammates don't really know about that side of my life,'' Reid said. "Coach Amir brought it up once, telling the guys I was in the choir and they just kind of laughed. I just think it's something I'm interested in and could be good at, whether it's modeling, speaking, acting, singing, or any of that. People have their own expectations of what you're really like and if you're different, sometimes you can surprise them. The key for me — or anyone — is to be comfortable with yourself.
 
"I've been in plays before and it's a different kind of adrenaline. That curtain opens and all those people are there watching. It's cool. It's exciting. You express yourself in different ways. I can be funny. I can be serious. I can sing or dance. I'm a basketball player first, but acting might be my dream career. I hope basketball can open the door for that. We all have different talents and I really admire the people who perform.''
 
Music is an important part of his basketball preparation. When he enters the Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center to begin game day, he's generally listening to rap, maybe some A Boogie With da Hoodie, because that gets his blood pumping.
 
On the court, though, he shifts to calming and inspirational Gospel music. Some favorites are Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin.
 
"That kind of music gets my head right,'' Reid said. "I want to hear that before I get on the court to play a game. It's a way for me to reminisce and be thankful for where I am, what I get to do. I'm playing on a great team in a great arena. Every time I step out there, it's a blessing. Some people never thought I'd be on a stage like this.''
 
Small Guy, Big Dreams
Reid always has been one of the smallest players on his team. That has never hindered his ability to impact the game.
 
"I've proven I could go against the best, but I'm usually the underdog,'' Reid said. "People look at my size. I don't pass the eye test. But I know the work I've put in. Basketball is me versus you. I like my chances. I believe I'm going to win every time. I feel I have competitiveness that overcomes my size.
 
"Do I ever wish I was taller? Yeah, of course. Maybe I'd be in the league (NBA) right now. But this is what God gave to me. He gave it to me for a reason. Maybe I'm paving the way for other smaller guys. It's actually a blessing to overcome challenges and the doubters, and then come out on top. You're always learning a larger lesson.''
 
Reid said he thinks everything happens for a reason. He kept hearing how he was "under-recruited'' because of his size. He never believed that, thinking he would wind up in the perfect spot for him. He initially thought that was VCU, where he committed to Coach Mike Rhoades. But when the coach shifted to Penn State, Reid opened up his recruitment. And that's when the new coach at USF — Abdur-Rahim — entered the picture.
 
"The right fit came to me,'' Reid said. "Just put in your work, be patient, and the right things happen.''
 
Those are among the lessons taught to him by his parents, Jeffrey and Stacie. He works in finance. She's the director of the guidance department for a school district. Reid also has younger twin brothers, Myles and Ryan, the backcourt for Holy Trinity's 25-0 junior-varsity championship team.
 
"My parents gave us all a foundation,'' Reid said. "They taught us to live the right way and do the right things when nobody is looking. Always be a good person in all circumstances.
 
"When you're a kid, a lot of things are given to you. But as you get older, you learn that you have to work hard to get what you want. You've got to fight for what's yours. I grew up in the church, so I feel like that's how God wants you to live, too.''
 
It's a level of maturity that has impressed Reid's teammates at USF. At times, Reid said he's too much of a perfectionist, but older players have provided perspective. Don't be so hard on yourself. So Reid, instead of dropping his head and pouting, simply plays on and plays better.
 
"He doesn't look like a freshman on the court,'' Bulls forward Kobe Knox said. "He knocks down big shots like he's made for the moment. He handles the ball in late-game situations against pressure and he knows what to do with it.
 
"I tell him all the time, 'Man, even though you're a freshman, we're looking to you on the court because you're our point guard. We're looking at you.' And he has gotten a lot better at that. We have nothing but confidence in that guy.''
 
Reid said his confidence is derived from preparation. His work and experience have him well-versed for any situation.
 
He's a performer. And he loves being on the big stage.
 
"I've been playing basketball at the highest level since I was a kid,'' Reid said. "The first year of college is different and there's a lot to learn. But at the end of the day, it's still basketball. And basketball has been my life. I'm excited to keep growing as a person and keep learning. USF is the next step of my journey.''
 
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About USF Men's Basketball
The South Florida men's basketball team is led by Amir Abdur-Rahim, who was named the 11th head coach in program history on March 29, 2023. Abdur-Rahim was named the 2023 Mid-Major Coach of the Year (Hugh Durham Award) after leading Kennesaw State to its first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23. Abdur-Rahim's Kennesaw State team set an NCAA record as the fastest team to ever reach the NCAA Tournament after a one-win campaign, accomplishing the feat in a span of just three seasons. He was also named the 2022-23 NABC District 3 and ASUN Coach of the Year after leading Kennesaw State to both the regular season and tournament titles, and a school-record 26 wins.
 
USF has retired three numbers in its history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30), and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
 
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com. Season tickets for the 2023-24 USF men's basketball slate are on sale now. To purchase season tickets, click here.
 
 
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