Omar Reed, the swingman who played for the Maine Red Claws during the 2012-13 season (and the Austin "Toros" before that) has returned to town, the team announced.
Reed is a good teammate with an even better attitude. A strong defensive player, he's displayed steady instincts on that end of the floor during his time in the NBA D-League.
While on the Red Claws during his first stint with the team, Reed watched as five of his teammates (count them, five; enough to fill up the starting lineup, which they did, in fact) be named minor league all-stars. With that in mind, it could arguably prove to be tricky for other players on the team to stand out and prove their worth.
Nevertheless, Reed was able to grind it out and do just that, rising up as a key cog in the team's rotation as he earned quality minutes from then-head coach Mike Taylor. While Maine's all-stars helped the squad create a balanced offensive attack, Reed was subsequently recognized as somewhat of a defensive stopper of sorts.
"You don't have to be anybody on the team that you're not. I try to bring energy to the team and hustle to grab offensive boards," Reed told RidiculousUpside.com during a conversation back in 2013. "We have a lot of talented guys, so I only have to do what's asked of me. I don't do too much. I'm just playing my role. Coach is appreciative of that, so he's been giving me more minutes."
With two minor league seasons and even some subsequent international experience under his belt, the 27 year old Reed is now somewhat of a professional basketball veteran. He'll certainly add some guidance and leadership on a younger Red Claws squad that is currently fighting teams like the Spurs and Bakersfield Jam for the team's top spot.
Reed is the type of player who is known for doing of all of the little things necessary on the basketball court. By doing the dirty work, he'll make things easier on his new teammates.
Heading into Sunday's game against the Erie BayHawks, Maine is currently on a five-game winning streak as they continue to gun towards the playoffs.
