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Since being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2020, Paul Reed has endeared himself to the Sixers’ fanbase, as he’s earned himself the nickname “Bball Paul.” New head coach Nick Nurse believes Reed could be molded into an even better player.
While speaking with Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire, Reed said that Nurse wants to mold him into a player like Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.
“I’ve talked to him plenty of times, and it’s always been kind of the same kind of idea. He talked about molding me into a Pascal Siakam-type player. Somebody who can kind of do it all. Shoot the ball, drive, pass, but right now, it’s all about focusing on my shot mechanics. That’s the start. That’s where it starts at.”
Nurse coached Siakam from 2018 to 2023, as Siakam became an NBA champion, All-Star, and All-NBA recipient during that time. With the player he’s become, it’s easy to forget that Siakam was a late first-round pick by the Raptors in 2016 with small expectations who gradually worked his way up to become the player he became
If Nurse believes Reed is on a similar trajectory, that could raise the Sixers’ ceiling quite a bit.
Paul Reed Wants James Harden to Come Back
Reed met up with reporters on July 25 during the Jr. 76ers Summer Hoops Tour, where he was asked about the James Harden situation with the Sixers. Reed says he’d like to have Harden back, but knows that the NBA is a business.
“James Harden, that’s like my big brother,” Reed told reporters, per Carlin. “One of the coolest vets I know. I hope he comes back, but I understand business is business, and sometimes you got to do what you got to do, but like I said, that’s like my big brother. I hope he comes back.”
Reed is not the only Sixer to express this sentiment, as Joel Embiid said something similar while he talked with Showtime’s Rachel Nichols on July 9.
“(I) want him to come back, obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship, so hopefully that his mindset can be changed. But, other than that, I’m just so happy to be his friend. We’re close, and we’ve grown since he got here. I’m excited to keep that for the rest of our lives.”
Paul Reed Was Surprised Sixers Matched Offer Sheet
Reed told Carlin how surprised he was that the Sixers elected to keep him after the moves they made during the offseason.
“I didn’t know what was gonna happen to be honest. I was a restricted free agent, so they had an opportunity to match. Then I seen they signed Trez (Montrezl Harrell) and (Mo) Bamba, my agent was like, it’s probably not likely that they match, but when they matched, I was real surprised.”
With Reed coming back in addition to Harrell, Bamba, and Embiid, the Sixers have four centers on their roster. They may make some changes during the season, but they may also be preparing themselves in case Embiid gets hurt during the regular season.
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