Reid Travis, a 6-foot-7 junior forward from Minneapolis DeLaSalle, has shined this spring for the Howard Pulley AAU program. He helped lead the team to a perfect 5-0 mark in the EYBL event held during Memorial Day weekend.
Travis had an outstanding junior season as he helped pace the Islanders to their second straight Class AAA state title and was named the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. He is ranked as the #40 player in the Class of 2014 by ESPN.
GopherHole.com caught up with Travis to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You went 5-0 at the EYBL event. How pleased are you with how well you finished out the spring?
Reid Travis: I’m pretty pleased. Going in, we knew that we had to get a couple of wins to solidify our chance to play in the Peach Jam and we locked up the second seed, so we are pretty happy about that.
Gopher Hole: I know that it depends a bit on the opponents you played, but you were 1-3 in the first EYBL event, then went 5-0 in Virginia and then 1-3 in Virginia and again 5-0 in Minnesota. Is there any reason for that or did you just get a little comfortable with each other down the stretch and playing at home or was it just tougher competition at some of the events?
Reid Travis: No. In the EYBL, every game is a challenge. I think the tournaments, we ran into different teams and the way they guarded us and the way that we played. It was a combination of everything. I don’t think anything else played a factor into it. We go out every game and try to win. It’s just funny that that is our record for those tournaments.
Gopher Hole: That has to give you the confidence that if you play well and are playing together that you can string some wins together and have some success at Augusta.
Gopher Hole: That has to give you the confidence that if you play well and are playing together that you can string some wins together and have some success at Augusta.
Reid Travis: Yes, definitely. We think that we can play with anybody down there, especially once we started playing together and start clicking and all that. We should have a good chance of competing with the best players.
Gopher Hole: How much do you think that experience has helped you as a player develop since you are playing every game against some of the best players in the country?
Reid Travis: It has helped a lot. I can already tell, just the physicality and just the skill level. It has definitely help me increase the play because I go back and I work a lot harder because of what I have seen. It has helped me improve my game a lot.
Gopher Hole: How about playing against different kids? How fun has that been to see some new kids after having playing against some of the same players? How has that helped your game?
Reid Travis: It has helped my game a lot, just from the mentality aspect of it. You see these kids online and you see them on TV and you finally get to play against them and step on the court with them and it is just that confidence that you start to bring around once you think that you can play with the best, you just have that mentality.
Gopher Hole: You are off team-wise until July. What things are you going to be working on from now on team-wise and individually to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Reid Travis: Team-wise, we are just working on our defense a lot right now and we are trying to improve that because we know that we are going to guard people down there in the Peach Jam. As a player, I am just trying to work on the stuff that I already have, work on my post moves and get my jumper a little more crisp, so that when we get to the Peach Jam everything is on point.
Gopher Hole: How much do you think that having a shot clock in the EYBL helps you as a player get ready for college since you don’t have one in high school or in other AAU events?
Reid Travis: It helps a lot. Everything that we are doing now is to prepare for the next level, so I think that is just another aspect of it that should help us make the transition a little easier.
Gopher Hole: Any new schools that you are hearing from lately?
Reid Travis: No, I just kind of have the group that I have been hearing from lately and rolling with that.
Gopher Hole: Who do you hear from the most on a regular basis?
Reid Travis: They are all contacting me a lot. The “U” calls me a bunch and I talked to them a lot. Everybody that I have been offered by keeps in contact at the same level.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Reid Travis: I have just been talking to Pitino lately and just talking to Coach Johnson and just kind of feeling them out and building that relationship.
Gopher Hole: What about football-wise? I know that it is hard with basketball, but are you going to be doing much this summer and go to some football camps?
Reid Travis: I don’t have anything scheduled right now. I am just working out with the team once or twice a week and probably do some 7-on-7’s here in a couple of weeks. Nothing too serious.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to any college or individual camps for basketball this summer?
Reid Travis: I am going to the Top 100 in Virginia next week and then I go to the Amare Stoudemire in Jersey.
Gopher Hole: How do you think that is going to help you as a player playing in two big events with a lot of nationally ranked players?
Reid Travis: It is going to help me a lot, especially being able to play against the best again and see how they carry themselves and how hard they work. It should just open my eyes to a new level of basketball.
Gopher Hole: Are you still thinking about basketball or football or have you narrowed it between the two sports?
Reid Travis: I haven’t narrowed it down. I am just going to let it play itself out this summer.
Gopher Hole: If you decided on basketball, would you sign in the fall or have you even thought about that yet?
Reid Travis: I want to get all my officials set up and I think that once I get on campus everywhere where I want to, I should have a good idea of where I want to go.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what schools you definitely want to take officials visits to?
Reid Travis: No, I haven’t really penciled anything in or even gotten that far with schools. I am just letting it all take care of itself and then in August, I’ll probably bump it down and get some dates set.
Gopher Hole: What about your high school team? You are in a unique situation as you have already won two state titles and three of your teammates for AAU are your high school teammates. A lot of people are thinking that you have a great chance to win another state title. How much do you think it helps in terms of team chemistry, not only for Howard Pulley, but for your high school team that you are getting to know each other so well on and off the court?
Reid Travis: It helps a lot. Like you said, we do have that chemistry, especially playing with each other all through the high school season. We are in workouts together and working hard all the time, so we are around each other a lot, so that just helps when you are on the court when you have that chemistry.