Naz Reid recounts epic 'vet' James Johnson story where he flushed $40,000 on young players: "Don't ever take out your wallet"
Naz Reid has been part of the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2019 and shared the locker room with NBA journeyman forward James Johnson. The latter is known to be one of the more mentor-like players in the league and after six teams before signing with the Timberwolves, he assumed the role of locker room leader, while also taking the younger players under his wing. And one of those times also saw him flush a good bit of the money on them. Reid, who was in his second season in the league was one of those beneficiaries of Johnson's generosity.
Speaking on "Run Your Race", the Minnesota forward recollected the time Johnson spent $40,000 on young players, while also adding a message:
“I pick out a pair of Diors, I’m about to pay for them and he’s like, ‘Don’t ever take out your wallet when I’m around you…’ We end up leaving it’s like 30-40 bands.”
Johnson re-signed with the Indiana Pacers earlier this month. As for Reid, he's fast, and has become a vital cog in the Timberwolves outfit that's looked dominant since the start of the season. The big is averaging 13.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 0.6 blocks. His last five games have seen him average 16.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Luka Doncic believes Naz Reid is the Timberwolves X-factor
Naz Reid had one of his best games against the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month. His 27 points included seven three-pointers coming off the bench and tied for a franchise record.
On a night when the likes of Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards had their struggles, Reid showcased his potential, and Mavericks star, Luka Doncic showed lavish praise for him:
"They're good in both ways, offense, defense. They have an amazing team. Ant is one of the best in the league for sure. But I think there is one X factor: Naz Reid. He's an amazing player, man, and he hurt us today. He's been hooping."
The Timberwolves have been the team to beat this season. Despite their recent loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the unit is still leading a stacked Western Conference. They are 20-6 at the time of writing.
Up next, Naz Reid and Minnesota host the struggling LA Lakers at home. The latter is 1-4 since winning the IST and the Wolves will look to bounce back with a win when the two sides meet Thursday.