From Undrafted To Nine Figures: Inside Naz Reid's Incredible NBA Rise

Naz Reid is one of the Internet's favorite basketball players. Any clip or even mention of him on a forum or social media site is invariably followed by an all-caps "NAZ REID." Some Minnesota Timberwolves fans have even named their pets after him. He's beloved by his city, always hustling on the court and making big plays.

That strong work ethic and skill has paid off big time. Reid just agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Timberwolves.

The move is even more impressive considering Reid wasn't even selected during the 2019 NBA Draft. The $125 million deal is one of the largest contracts an undrafted player has ever signed. Here's how he's carved out a stunning NBA career despite every team passing on him.

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Reid played one season at LSU, helping lead the Tigers to the Sweet Sixteen during the NCAA Tournament. He put up decent numbers in college, enough that he declared for the 2019 NBA Draft. However, he went unselected, which actually worked out to his benefit.

Reid was able to target specific teams where he might get an opportunity, and he ended up signing a two-way deal with the Timberwolves. Minnesota was one of the league's worst teams during the 2019-20 season. After an impressive start in the G League with the Iowa Wolves, Reid got called up to the NBA. 

He only played in 30 games his rookie year, yet he played well enough that the Timberwolves featured him heavily the following season. With more regular playing time, he averaged double figures for the first time in his career. Despite a slight regression in minutes the following season, Reid kept finding ways to contribute, even if they didn't always show up in the box score.

His win shares—which measure the number of wins he was responsible for adding to the team's total—kept rising, too, and the Timberwolves rewarded him with a three-year, $42 million extension after the 2022-23 season.

Since that extension, Reid has evolved into a steady three-point shooter. He had always been capable of making them, but the past two seasons have taken it up another notch. Reid hit over 41% of his threes in the 2023-24 season while knocking down nearly 38% last year. His three-point attempt rate has skyrocketed, as well—last season, more than half of his field goal attempts came from beyond the three-point line.

Pair that shooting with the same hard-nosed defense that got him a roster spot in the first place, and Reid has become an invaluable part of the Timberwolves' lineup. Through it all, he's still mostly come off the bench, only starting in 74 out of 406 games played. He even earned Sixth Man of the Year in 2024.

With this deal, Reid will continue to be a mainstay in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals twice in a row, and this is the most success the franchise has ever had. Even Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett only managed one trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Reid already has people getting beach towels and tattoos with his name on it. If he helps bring home a championship, just imagine the kind of celebration the city will throw.