Maryland basketball profile: Forward Julian Reese

Photo Credit: Maryland Basketball Twitter

Name: Julian Reese

Height/Weight: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds

Class: Sophomore

2021-22 Stats: 5.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 45.6% FG%, 30.4 3PT%, 0.7 BPG

Recap of 2021-22 season

Julian Reese introduced himself to Maryland basketball fans with a chase down block in the half court on a Quinnipiac defender. As a freshman, he averaged 5.7 points, and 4.4 rebounds per game and had 14 steals and 13 assists also. He had the second-most blocks (23) on the team behind forwards Donta Scott and Qudus Wahab who had 24 apiece. He scored in double-figures seven times last season.

Reese is an excellent help-side defender who uses his size and length well to block shots when needed. Offensively, he moves well without the basketball, shoots the perimeter shot well, and is physical on the boards. When he’s in the post, he has the ability to back down his defender or face up and shoot over him if the opportunity presents itself. He will be useful in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations in the Terps’ offense.

Outlook for 2022-23 season

After watching his sister depart for LSU, Julian stuck around for his second season in College Park and first for Kevin Willard. The good news for Reese is that Willard is an excellent player development coach and assistant Grant Billmeier has been tabbed as a touted developmental coach for big men. Look at what the previous staff did did with Myles Powell, Myles Cale, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and others at Seton Hall. Reese started just one game a season ago, but heading into his sophomore year, he steps into a feature role leading a thin backcourt.

The biggest area of concern for Reese was his foul rate, averaging over two fouls per game and nearly three in conference play while fouling out in four games as a freshman. With Donta Scott the only experienced player returning to the frontcourt and Reese the lone dependable big man for Maryland in the 2022-23 season, Reese will be tasked with producing points in the paint while defending guys like Trayce Jackson-Davis, Zach Edey and Clifford Omoruyi through conference play. Reese also flashed a natural shooting touch from outside but struggled to connect, shooting just over 29% since Jan. 1, 2022 through the regular season, but with Jahmir Young’s ability to slash through the paint, the high ball screens become a lethal option if the sophomore forward proves himself as a dependable outside shooter.

While college hoops insider Jon Rothstein named Reese an under-the-radar breakout player this season, arguably no player is a bigger X-factor on Maryland’s roster than the former St. Frances standout. While first-year transfer Jahmir Young will have an opportunity to shine running the offense and Donta Scott a proven yet inconsistent inside-out scorer, Reese has a chance to emerge as Maryland’s third scoring option. He showed flashes of that after scoring in double figures in seven games last season, but with four-guard sets a possibility with backups like Ian Martinez and Jahari Long giving Willard flexibility in the backcourt, Reese’s athleticism fits both styles at the five and an offseason in the strength and conditioning program hopes to build his slender size on the defensive end. With All-Big Ten potential, Maryland will lean on another Baltimore product to help surpass preseason expectations.

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