BREAKING: USF guard Jayden Reid transfers to Northwestern

A big get in the portal for Collins and Co. as NU gears up for 2025.

With just a couple of open spots available to fill for next year’s roster, it was going to be a hard task for Northwestern men’s basketball head coach Chris Collins to find the right guys in the transfer portal to rebuild a competitive team. But it looks like the ‘Cats are well on their way.

After an extended period of speculation which had many sources connecting Jayden Reid to the Northwestern program, it was officially announced on Thursday that the sophomore guard from South Florida would be taking his talents up to Evanston for next season.

Reid, a Westbury, New York native, averaged 12.1 points, 3.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals during the 2024-25 NCAA season, leading USF in total points, assists and steals.

Out of high school, Reid was ranked a three-star. He originally picked the Bulls over SMU, Dayton and VCU, among others. Listed at just 5’10” and 161 lbs., Reid is undersized for the collegiate level, but his immense talent makes up for it.

In his two seasons in Tampa, Reid appeared in all but one of the team’s games. His freshman season was marked by tremendous numbers from beyond the arc, as he shot 47.5% from three while taking over 40% of his total shots from that range. After averaging 6.8 points, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, he was named to the 2023-24 AAC All-Freshman Team.

But Reid’s role increased significantly following the transfers of Chris Youngblood (Alabama) and Selton Miguel (Maryland) in his sophomore campaign. Reid began earning starting minutes (29.1 per contest) and started in 23 of 31 games. While his shooting splits took a notable dip due to the increase in shooting volume — 39.2% from the field on 10.2 shots per game and 35.8% from three on 5.1 shots per game — he’s grown into a more all-around scorer.

Reid’s numbers saw a significant boost in his sophomore year and he proved to be one of the team’s best passers while still being able to get a bucket when needed.

And amidst a somewhat disappointing 2024-25 season that saw the Bulls go just 13-19, Reid still showed flashes of the clutch gene — he hit his fair share of game-winners, like this one in the Myrtle Beach Invitational against Wright State this past November:

After a successful season this past season from another mid-major transfer in Jalen Leach, Reid could be the next guy to make that jump from the mid-major to the Power Five level.

As Collins continues to search for complementary pieces to a young core, Reid provides a great option for the Wildcats as both a facilitator and leading voice with serious experience under his belt.