7-footer Trayvon Reed will 'definitely help' Auburn next season

AUBURN | After sitting out a semester, 7-foot center Trayvon Reed returned to school and rejoined Auburn’s basketball team in January.

So far, Bruce Pearl likes what’s he’s seen from Reed.

“Trayvon’s progressing very well, making progress in the classroom, off the court,” Pearl said. “On the court, he’s big. You absolutely won’t recognize him right now. He’s 255. He came here 217. He’s healthy, and that’s what’s most important.

“We haven’t had many live-contact practices since January so we haven’t had a chance to see Trayvon on more than just a couple of occasions five-on-five, but he’s gotten better. He will definitely help us next year.”

Reed played in 23 games as a true freshman in the 2014-15 season averaging 1.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 8.9 minutes per game. He’s redshirting this season and will be a sophomore in 2016-17 when the Tigers will be looking to replace two bigs — Tyler Harris and Cinmeon Bowers.

Reed has had his share of off-the-court issues including serving a 15-day jail sentence last spring for assault stemming from an incident in July of 2014 of theft and resisting arrest.

Bowers has seen a different Reed since his return to the team nearly seven weeks ago.

“He has been working his tail off,” Bowers said. “They going to be great next year with him, Horace and the new guys coming in. Trayvon, he’s been working hard on and off the court. I sat down and had a talk with him to put some sense in his life. I told him ‘you’re a 7-footer, you can make a lot of money’. Just cut all the bull crap out.”

Auburn hosts Texas A&M Tuesday night at 8 p.m. CT. It will senior night at the Auburn Arena and the game will be carried on ESPNU.