FROM UNDRAFTED TO NBA 6TH MAN OF THE YEAR - THE NAZ REID STORY

To say Naz Reid has a cult following in Minnesota might be a shock for most casual basketball fans, but if you're a Timberwolves fan, you know that Reid was undrafted out of Louisiana State in 2019 and was considered a project player who needed to refine his skills and shed some weight.

For most undrafted players who are called project players, it usually doesn’t end with a three-year $42 million deal, a beach towel night in your honor, and the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for 2023-2024. 

Fan Jordan Alamat spotted a guy wearing a Wolves shirt at the state fair this summer. He said "Naz Reid" as he walked by. The man replied simply, "Naz Reid."

"It's like the 'Peace be with you and also with you' [greeting]," Alamat said. "It's a religious experience."

Then there's Kai Glinsek, manager of Parkway Pizza in northeast Minneapolis, who put a sign outside the store that stated: "Honk if you love Naz Reid." People are honking and stopping to take pictures with the sign.

On Wednesday night, Timberwolves forward Naz Reid was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-24 season, marking the first time a Timberwolves player has received this honor. 

Reid, 24, achieved career-high averages of 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds, contributing significantly to Minnesota's impressive 56-26 record, the second-best in franchise history. 

His win also makes him the third undrafted player in NBA history to receive this award, joining John Starks (1997) and Darrell Armstrong (1999).

"Blessed to be in this situation," Reid, one of six players to win the award before the age of 25, said in an interview on TNT.

"It's special," Reid said of his relationship with the fans in Minnesota, where he has spent his whole career thus far. "It's one of a kind, something that you obviously dream of, especially at the highest level. They've seen me work since Day 1. ... I think just being with me, that's super special."

THE UNDERRATED OPINION
Yes, Reid is loved by Wolves fans for his hard work and winning personality, but what they appreciate most is his classic underdog success story. In Reid's latest underdog chapter, we find the Timberwolves up 2-0 in their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns with a legit chance of making a deep playoff. Not shabby for the undrafted center from Louisana State.