Former Medway Park Crusader Omar Reed has started to stamp his authority on the NBA D-League with some outstanding recent performances.

‘OJ’, as he was known, made a name with the Medway side last season, and is now having a large impact for the Austin Toros – a feeder club for the San Antonio Spurs in Texas, USA.

The 6’6 guard/forward from Virginia, has helped his team to top of the West Conference League with 12 wins in 15 games, hitting 90 points and collecting 51 rebounds along the way – a PPG average of 8.2 and RPG average of 4.6.

Luckily, the D-League, (the NBA’s official minor league) was not affected by the five month NBA lock-out, and Reed capitalised on this with an impressive double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds) and a stand-out 26 points when his new side faced the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Friday 9, and Saturday 10, Dec respectively.

He then followed this up with 18 points and five rebounds against the Texas Legends on Sunday 18, December but has not played in the Toros last three games – victories against the Maine Red Claws on Thursday 5, the Texas Legends on Friday 6 and the Tulsa 66ers on Sunday 8, January.

Reed, who won both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for his college team, Bluefield in 2009-10, got his big break in the D-League when he met a coach from the Austin Toros at Medway Park last year, whilst training with Ryan Richards, another former Crusader.

The coach reassured Omar that he had a real chance to make it in the NBA, and urged him to try out – Richards was also draft-picked for the San Antonio Spurs the previous year, but is now playing in Europe.

Reed attended the official NBA open trials from the 25-27 June in Louisville, Kentucky, and his ability to rebound, ball handle and shoot from range led to him getting noticed.

After a two week wait, Reed got the call to say he had been put into the pool of select draft-picks. In November he was picked by the Toros and since then he hasn’t looked back.

He said: “My goal for this season is to ultimately get a call-up to the big league, but understanding the statistics of my positioning I will continue to strive to get better every day, and get stronger by hitting the weights room.”

He added: “I want to learn the ins and outs of this professional play and get smarter in the mental aspect of the game.”

Reed is quick to not forget his time in England. During his time at the Crusaders, he established himself as one of the league’s best players and scorers, using his versatility to take advantage of different match-ups.

Reed praises the Crusaders for the role they played in his career. He said: “My stint with the Crusaders was very beneficial for me. I was able to work on some areas of my game and increase my versatility, while helping lead the club in the right direction in getting promoted and winning the EBL2 playoffs.”

OJ, who stays in touch with some of the Kent players via Facebook, has been following their progress in 2011/12 very closely: “It looks like it was a rough transition starting out but they seem to have turned it around. Adding, former BBL point guard Steve Vear, back to the team must have given them a spark.”

Crusaders Chairman, Jesse Sazant, has praised Reed’s start to the season saying: “OJ was a tremendous player at the club.  Not only in the obvious impact he had on the floor in our success but in the way he fully bought into the club, leading, supporting and pushing our younger players to help their development.”

He added: “I hope things work out for him in the draft as he fully deserves the opportunity.”

Omar wants to return to England to catch up with the Crusaders soon but doesn’t think he will make it to watch the Olympics as it’s going to be too expensive.

Report by Nick Moore

Picture by Cesar Velasco