Ranking the Contenders: Efton Reid
No stranger to the high-major recruiting process, Efton Reid has continued to stay in contact with some of the very best program along the East Coast and Midwest.
One of the best true center prospects in his class, Reid nearly reclassified into the 2020 class a few weeks back and while the chances remain slim, there is a small possibility that he could still end up on a college campus in the fall. In the meantime, a bevy of ACC and Big Ten powers continue to pursue Reid as he tussles between prep and college decisions.
Here's how Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Corey Evans ranks the contenders to land Reid's commitment.
1. MICHIGAN
Juwan Howard may not have signed a remarkable 2020 class, but he did manage to lure some of the best from the DMV to Ann Arbor and, while Reid isn't from the DMV, that could help the Wolverines in the end. Reid played travel ball with DMV products Terrance Williams and Hunter Dickinson last summer, and with Michigan facing a void in the frontcourt after the season, the Wolverines could do a lot worse than land the big 7-footer. Howard has communicated with Reid that he can configure a way for him and Dickinson to share the floor together which might make the idea of playing for the former NBA star even more intriguing whenever it comes down to making his decision.
2. OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are rolling in the 2021 class thanks to the commitments of three Rivals150 prospects, the latest being top-50 wing Malaki Branham. At least one more is needed before Ohio State can move onto entirely onto the 2022 class which is why Reid is such a valuable prospect for Chris Holtmann and his staff. While the Buckeyes will lose just Kyle Young from the frontcourt after the season, they still have plenty of questions about who will man the center position. Reid has already taken an official visit to Columbus and while the Buckeyes remain involved for several prospects, Reid may represent their shot at landing a premier prospect at the 5-spot.
3. PITT
Jeff Capel made it a priority to absolutely load up in the frontcourt with his 2020 class but with Terrell Brown set to graduate after the season, the Panthers will be on the prowl again for another interior producer. Reid would be Capel’s best pick-up yet since taking over in Oakland. Pitt snuck into contention earlier in the year when Reid was thinking about a move into the 2020 class, and it remains heavily entrenched within his recruitment now that he has decided to remain in his original class. Pitt has some catching up to do but if the program can get Reid onto campus whenever allowed, the Panthers could generate some momentum in his recruitment.
4. FLORIDA STATE
Florida State, like clockwork, likes to add to its interior in alternating classes. The program didn't add a big man in 2021 and now is targeting Reid to fill that role in the 2021 group. The Seminoles are sneaky contenders for Ryan Mutombo but with Reid set to attend the in-state IMG Academy program, the same outfit that Jon Isaac graduated from, don’t slight FSU’s chances with Reid just yet.
5. VIRGINIA
Virginia was thought to be the clear-cut favorite for Reid early during his recruitment. That has changed over time but it is never safe to count out the Wahoos, especially with more and more prospects rethinking the idea of moving away from home during the ongoing pandemic. Furthermore, Virginia remains in need of a center in the 2021 class with the upcoming graduation of Jay Huff. The Cavaliers have not recruited another center so it looks like the program counting on landing Reid, handing out a new offer at the position or possibly diving into the transfer portal in the spring.
6. GEORGETOWN
The lone Big East program under consideration at this time for Reid, the Hoyas have intrigued him enough to give Georgetown a chance. Of course, the idea of playing for one of the best big men that the game has ever seen in Patrick Ewing does not hurt, nor does the fact that the Hilltop is located less than a two-hour drive from his home and boosts the proper academic workload that Reid and his family may be looking for at the next level. The Hoyas have much more work to complete if they want to feel safe regarding where they sit with Reid but they are one to monitor as things begin to speed up.