LOOK: Former UNC star JR Reid pens letter to Monmouth after resigning as assistant coach
After spending four seasons with Monmouth as an assistant coach, JR Reid announced he would be resigning and stepping away from the program. The former North Carolina Tar Heels legend’s exact reasoning was not revealed but Reid is expected to pursue opportunities outside of college basketball.
Reid penned a letter to everyone involved with the Monmouth program on Tuesday, thanking a few people for making the journey possible. One was head coach King Rice, who hired him back in 2018. Another was all of the players Reid has the opportunity to coach, saying it was a bucket list item to be a college coach.
“First, I would like to thank Dr. McNeil for giving me the opportunity to pursue my coaching career,” Reid said. “And Jeff Stapelton and President Leahy for allowing me to continue it here. I also want to thank Coach King Rice for allowing me to come to Monmouth and be part of his journey. Special thank you to all the members of the Monmouth Men’s Basketball team that allowed me to be a small part of their basketball careers. They allowed me to check off something on my bucket list, becoming a college coach.
“My family has gotten to see me on the sidelines like my father once did — I have gotten to walk in the footsteps of all my idols like Josh Thompson, George Raveling, and of course, Dean E. Smith. Thank you for all the administrators, fellow coaches, and support staff at Monmouth for making my time so wonderful. Monmouth will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.”
Reid helped Monmouth win a total of 65 games during his time as an assistant, including the 2021 regular season MAAC title. However, the program was never able to make the NCAA Tournament as they could not win their conference championship. Playing in the title game twice, Monmouth came close in 2019 and 2021.