Timberwolves backup C Naz Reid loves meeting and greeting fans

The Minnesota Timberwolves clearly support backup center Naz Reid. But that goes both ways. Naz Reid is one of the friendliest, most approachable NBA stars in the league. That’s important for the Minnesota Timberwolves team, but also personally crucial for Reid. After all, he is not playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves fans at Target Center.

Rather he is one of the Timberwolves fans, a member of the grand family of Timberwolves fans, who runs with the pack in the stands as well as with the pack on the basketball court. He is a special player, one of our own who arrived unheralded in 2019 but who has climbed out of the shadows of anonymity to earn his place on this team.

Naz Reid’s extension was a well-earned reward

The acquisition of All-Star center Rudy Gobert may have been viewed as a setback to Naz Reid, who suddenly found himself behind two players in the quest to see playing time on the basketball court. But Reid viewed the situation as a challenge.  When starting power forward Karl-Anthony Towns fell to injury, Reid was suddenly back in business, getting plenty of minutes backing up Gobert.

When Gobert could not play, Naz Reid was suddenly thrust into a starting role for the Timberwolves. He stepped up for the Timberwolves when the team needed him most. As a result, he earned his extension, and very likely a larger role with the team in the 2023-24 NBA season.

Still, the extension was not the end of it. In many ways, it was just the beginning.

Naz Reid is more than just a young NBA center. He is the fulcrum of the Timberwolves roster. He is the one player on the Timberwolves roster who straddles the savvy seasoned NBA veteran with the youthful energy of the next wave of NBA stars who populate the Timberwolves roster.

Most importantly, he is also that one player who never stops smiling for the fans. He is approachable, humble, and kind, a very rare blend for such a respected NBA star. It was no random act that led to Naz Reid becoming the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Minnesota State Fair.

So who did fans come to see?

Naz Reid.

And Naz Reid would not have it any other way.