| LAWTON, Oklahoma (July 12) – Former Aggie basketball standout Matt Reid has signed a professional contract with the Schwelmer Baskets basketball team in Germany. Reid completed his collegiate eligibility at Cameron last season and finished 2006-2007 as the Aggies leading scorer and stealer. Reid, whose father Michael played for the Portland Trailblazers, sees the move to Germany as another step towards his ultimate goal: playing in the National Basketball Association.
“To play professionally has been a dream of mine since freshman year of high school,” Reid said. “I have worked so hard, but this is a baby step for me. I could have the chance to play in the NBA after a year and will have the chance to explore more of Europe.”
Reid was arguably the best player on last year’s Aggie squad and was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Conference Second Team at seasons end after leading the LSC North Division in scoring. He also hit two, final-second shots to win a pair of very important games during the season for Cameron. It is this style of play that caught the attention of European scouts.
“The (Euro Basket) agency called (current Cameron men’s basketball head coach) Coach Leitzke during the season and wanted me to make DVD’s of my play. Coach (Leitzke) did a lot of extra work and really helped me out,” Reid said. “In my basketball career the next step is getting to the NBA, which is hard to get to from a Division-II school. You need to have some exposure in another professional league and NBA scouts want to see exposure overseas before they will even will look at you.”
Kyle Weatherly, basketball play-by-play commentator on the Aggie Radio Network, was instrumental in helping Reid to get signed. Weatherly put together the DVD highlight reel that impressed the German scouts enough to offer a contract.
Reid is the second former Aggie basketball player to sign a professional contract overseas in the last few years. Former CU standout Arthur Trousdell signed with the CB Villa de Los Barrios, a professional team in Spain’s ACB league, upon his graduation.
Coach Leitzke also played overseas and was the second-leading scorer in Australia’s SBL league. Leitzke hopes his experience will help to prepare Reid for life overseas, and he is confident Reid will flourish in his new environment.
“I think where Matt is going in Germany is a good league and a great place to get started,” Coach Leitzke said. “It will be a great experience in his life, both basketball and cultural wise. Matt is really versatile and is an outstanding scorer and passer who creates well for others. He wants the ball and wants to make plays.”
Reid, who saw considerable action in each of CU’s twenty-six games last season, will play a combination of point guard and shooting guard for the Baskets. He recorded two double-doubles in 2006-2007 and is looking forward to translating the knowledge and experience he learned while at Cameron to Schwelmer.
“They are all about winning over there,” Reid said. “Coach Leitzke always installed a winning and competitive type of attitude, and taking that with me will help out a lot.”
Reid is still living in the states and will move to Germany in the coming weeks. The Schwelmer Baskets begin their season this fall.
“I am in awe right now because I have worked so hard for this day to come,” Reid said. “Everyone is very family-oriented in Germany and I am truly blessed for this to happen to me. It really hasn’t hit me yet.” |