It’s only been a week since the college basketball season began, so calling anything a moment of the year might be premature. Still, Jayden Reid’s emotional postgame interview after Memphis beat VCU on Saturday could be remembered for a while.
Reid transferred from Northwestern to join Penny Hardaway’s Tigers and has made an immediate impact. He scored 26 points in Memphis’ upset of Iowa State to open the season, then put up 32 in his home debut as the Tigers edged VCU 89-88.
The game’s leading scorer, Reid also made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the win. During a postgame interview with the Tigers’ radio network, he grew tearful before discussing the game, saying he felt grateful for the opportunity, his coaches and teammates, and the chance to come to Memphis.
That kind of emotion after a win in just the team’s second game is striking. It made for a vulnerable moment, and an unusually memorable one.
Reid, who is from Westbury, New York, began his college career at USF, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Northwestern. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game there, then entered the transfer portal again and moved to Memphis.
Reid is averaging 29 points through two games, the second-highest mark in college basketball. He has also committed just three turnovers, a figure his coach is likely to appreciate.
