Naz Reid’s importance to the Minnesota Timberwolves has been a key theme of their offseason after he signed a five-year $125 million contract. One notable stat that demonstrates Reid’s immense impact is that he led the NBA in effective field goal percentage on stepback shots (minimum 40 attempts), shooting a staggering 72 percent. Cam Johnson finished second in this stat, shooting 65 percent on stepbacks. A seven percent difference between Reid and Johnson makes this feat even more impressive.
This highlights Reid’s unique shooting and shot creation abilities, which are truly remarkable given his size. Notably, all other players within the top 10 are guards or wings, with seven of the players being guards. Interestingly, Reid’s teammate Anthony Edwards appeared on this list, with an EFG of 58.6 percent on an absurd 258 stepback attempts. Ironically, if the minimum attempts were lower, Mike Conley would have led this stat as he shot 75 percent on 34 attempts. This showcases the Wolves’ ability as a team to make difficult shots.
Highest EFG% on Stepbacks this season:
— Timberwolves Muse (@Wolvesmuse) July 9, 2025
Naz Reid is in a class of his own pic.twitter.com/m0zHZSMTYH
Reid’s incredible value and unique skill set
In today’s NBA, positional versatility and 3-point shooting are vital skills. As a 6-foot-9 big man who can shoot, create his own shot, handle the ball, and make plays for others, Reid is a perfect fit for the modern league. Impressively, Reid shot 46.7 percent on tight 3s, further highlighting his capabilities as a difficult shot-maker, and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc this past season. Being able to make difficult shots at this high of a rate with Reid’s size is truly incredible, and there are only a few big men who can even come close to replicating this skill set.
His 14.2 points also ranked third on the team. Reid and Jaden McDaniels rotate between the third option on offense. For a Wolves team that somewhat lacks shot creation outside of Edwards, Reid is even more valuable, especially when considering his size. Overall, Reid is a crucial part of the Wolves' core, and Minnesota made that clear this offseason.
The Wolves have made back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. If they can break through and make the NBA Finals, expect Reid to play a significant role. Reid will turn 26 before the start of this upcoming season, and it’s possible he is just entering his true prime. While Reid has been extremely valuable to the Wolves over the past seasons, it wouldn’t be shocking if he got an even bigger role given his age and unique skill set.