In the age of three-point shooting, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Naz Reid has stood out. He is often a mismatch for his fellow bigs because of his quick release and ability to shoot off the bounce.
Now, he has become the premier big man shooter in the league. It is an impressive feat, considering bigs around the league have become more open to taking more jump shots.
The 2024-25 season has been an eventful one for Naz Reid. He is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and he has only improved upon what he has done with his production in the 24-25 season.
Reid is scoring 14.9 points, grabbing 6.1 rebounds, and dishing out 2.2 assists per game. He has filled in well as the designated stretch big for the team after losing Karl-Anthony Towns in the offseason.
Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert are still a strong frontcourt duo, but having Reid score off the bench is a huge part of their success. Now, Naz has continued to play well, especially with his three-point shooting, making 2.3 per game on an efficient 39.2%.
Reid Leads the League as the NBA's Premier Big Man Shooter
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, Reid has been with the Timberwolves. From playing on a two-way contract, Naz has become one of the focal points of the Minnesota offense under Chris Finch.
Season after season, the former LSU Tiger has improved his three-point shooting. After 65 games played, Reid has the most threes in the league for a center with 151 makes. The closest center is Victor Wembanyama, who had 142 makes on the season before he got sidelined for the rest of the season.
Most 3P by a center this season:
151 - Reid
142 - Wembanyama
120 - Turner
114 - Towns pic.twitter.com/3Z3w9ibOQg
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 10, 2025
Related: Do the Timberwolves have enough offensive weapons to contend in 2024-25?
Reid's Shooting Makes Minnesota's Offense More Unpredictable
While the Timberwolves are seventh in the Western Conference standings, they are doing well on both ends of the floor. They are in the top 10 for both offensive rating (fifth at 105.9) and defensive rating (sixth at 99.7) for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
That was the time when Kevin Garnett still played for the Timberwolves, so matching that achievement is impressive. Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels play a big part in the defensive performance, but Reid deserves to be among the top offensive players on the team.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are top 10 in offense AND defense for the first time since the 2003-04 season. pic.twitter.com/HGturkcNUs
— Wolves In 6 (@WolvesInVI) March 10, 2025
Anthony Edwards is the superstar player and Julius Randle is the Robin to his Batman. However, Naz has been a standout player for the Timberwolves due to his versatility on offense with his inside game and his three-point shooting.
As long as Coach Finch continues to play with this system, the future is bright for the Timberwolves. They could be a dark horse if and when they make the Playoffs, as they look to surpass their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2024.
Related: Julius Randle Sends NBA 4-Word Message on Wolves Winning Streak
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This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM.