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Breaking: Jalen Reed set to return to LSU for fourth season

On3 imageby: Matthew Brune03/27/25MatthewBrune_
Jalen Reed LSU
Jalen Reed LSU

Starting forward Jalen Reed is set to return to LSU for the 2025-26 season, first reported by On3’s Joe Tipton.

Reed is a multi-year starter for Matt McMahon at LSU, but suffered a torn ACL just eight games into the year in 2024 and missed the remainder of the season. Before the injury, Reed averaged 12.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in seven games on 60.3 percent shooting from the field.

Reed stayed with the team and rehabbed the entire year, sticking by McMahon and LSU’s coaching staff through a rough season in the SEC, ending the year 3-15 in conference. Reed now gives them a piece to build with heading into next season as the rest of the roster continues to overhaul.

“One of my favorite players I’ve had the opportunity to coach over the years,” McMahon said after Reed’s injury. “When I got here, there wasn’t a whole lot to sell. He was the first top 100 player to jump on board and take a chance on us. He understood the process.
He’s worked extremely hard. We have seen him get better each year. So many players today think it’s an overnight success deal. He’s been bought in to understanding the work that goes into it and he’s a great teammate. He had a tremendous start to his season, so we’re heartbroken for him. The good thing with Jalen, he’s a better person than he is a player, basketball, certainly is not his only identity. I think you’ll see him work extremely hard and come back even stronger from the injury and we’ll be here to support him every step of the way.”

Matt McMahon before LSU’s 2024-25 season on Jalen Reed…

“Incredibly important. I believe in him. I love him. He’s about the right things. He’s really why you get into coaching. Very smart. It means something to him. He really cares. So he works extremely hard to try and become the best player he can be. I think he’s really matured this off-season as he enters year three. I mentioned in my opening, he’s gained 15 pounds of muscle, but I think he’s moving better than he ever has before.

I think he’s a guy that we’ll depend on heavily, not only for his ability to score off the bounce, but I think he’s a unique player at 6’10”, 250, that can create offense for his teammates. He knows he has to lower his turnover rate. It was way too high a year ago.

Then I also mentioned his three-point shooting. He really was not a threat his freshman year. Last year as a sophomore, 39 percent, shot it really well. I want to see him increase that three-point volume. Doesn’t need to take 10 or 12 a game, but we’d like to see him shoot it more because he’s really worked hard to develop into a good three-point shooter.”

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