Tarris Reed Jr. named NIL student ambassador for Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Michigan center Tarris Reed Jr. has been named a NIL student ambassador for the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.

Reed is the first-ever NIL student ambassador for Rose’s organization. The Fab Five member announced the news at his 13th annual Celebrity Golf Classic earlier this week.

“This is the NIL literally playing itself out in real life,” Rose tweeted in a video Monday afternoon. “(Tarris) has done an amazing job putting himself in position to be a collegiate student-athlete, but also to go over and beyond to give back to the community.”

Reed has been no stranger to NIL since coming to Ann Arbor. Last fall, Maize N Brew was on hand at Cameron’s Music in Livonia to see the young center be gifted an alto saxophone as part of a NIL deal with MGoDao.

After receiving that gift last year, Reed mentioned paying it forward.

“I love giving back,” Reed said. “I’m going to be mentoring a lot of kids, even student-athletes at the school. I can’t wait to be a part of an amazing foundation.”

Reed was a key contributor off the bench for the Wolverines last season, averaging 3.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in just under 13 minutes per game. He played a lot more in conference play as part of a two-big lineup, playing alongside Hunter Dickinson while being a menace on defense and a force to be reckoned with on the boards.

Reed is expected to have a much bigger role with the Wolverines this season. He stayed in Ann Arbor this summer to focus on individual skills like finishing around the rim and improving his jump shot while working on his body and getting more explosive.

The sophomore is the only true center on the 2023-24 roster and has been working closely with another member of the Fab Five in team sessions this summer.

“He gravitates to Juwan, Juwan does a remarkable job with that position,” associate head coach Phil Martelli said about Reed on a recent podcast. “Tarris has improved. I’ll salute him, what he’s improved in the most is his face-up jumper, his foul shot has improved. He did work when he was away from us in June, and now it’s continued in July and into August. He is, will be and can be, an elite rim protector.”

Props to Jalen Rose and his academy for organizing this opportunity; it sounds like a great way to stay involved with the program. It also says a lot about Reed’s character that he was picked to represent JRLA and mentor other student-athletes coming to Ann Arbor.