Give Jordan Reed a blank canvas, hell fill it from his heart.

Away from basketball, Reeds No. 1 passion right now is his architectural design class. Different forums. Same principle.

You can really build whatever you want, the senior guard from Manual High explained. Once you understand that, your options are never limited. You could build buildings, houses really, anything. Thats what was fun to me.

Whether hes got a basketball or a pencil in his hand, Reed doesnt see limitations. He sees opportunities. Windows. Statements.

As a junior, the 6-foot-4 creator played the point, on the wing and even some at small forward for a Thunderbolts squad that went 12-4 in 2020-21, 8-1 in league play and fell to Lutheran, the eventual Class 3A champs, in the Great Eight.

Along the way, Reed built an incredible season stat line, averaging 18.8 points, 7.1 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game. He posted two triple-doubles and four double-doubles. Over the past two seasons, the Manual star has finished either one board or one assist shy of a double-double in five other games.

We kind of talk about Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, about being a great rebounding guard, Manual coach Omar Henry said of Reed. Hes kind of big for his size. I always say, Youre bigger than most guys. Just out-jump them.

This winter, hes planning on out-muscling them, too. After playing last season at close to 190 pounds, hes over 200 now. And over the last year, Reeds added almost 100 pounds to his squat its in the 325-ish range along with nearly seven pounds of muscle. He spent five days a week over the summer in the weight room with the football staff, trying to put on bulk without sacrificing the quick-twitch stuff.

Hes always been able to shoot the ball. Henry said. Now hes added being a high-riser to his game. Thats probably going to open up a little bit more of what he does.

Score. Facilitate. Crash. Harass. Fly. Reed, a silky left-hander, is one of those hoops artisans who patterns his game after Ja Morant. James Harden, too. Only with a twist.

Ive got the same step back (jumper) as James Harden. Ive got the same moves as James Harden, Reed said. But I feel Im way more athletic than James Harden.

So no, the kid has been never shy on confidence. Or afraid of the big stage. Reed grew up as one of those classic, tag-along little brothers, following around and playing against his elder sibling, Jaedon, another former Manual stalwart whos now a sophomore forward at Laramie County Community College.

He definitely bullied me all the time, Reed said with a laugh. But he just wanted to see me get better.

Learning how to finish over bigger people made it easier for me when I played with kids my own age which I didnt get to do for a long time. Ive always played up.

Hes stepped up, too. In the Thunderbolts playoff opener against Highland, Reed dropped 15 points and six assists. In the Great Eight loss, he put up 16 points and four dimes against a Lutheran roster that featured big man Baye Fall.

This is a special kid, said Jermaine Mason, the former Denver East and CSU-Pueblo point guard whos now an assistant coach at Manual. Jumps well. Just deceptively quick. Long arms. Gets his hands on a lot of things.

Mason, who grew up playing against the likes of Chauncey Billups, said Reeds game reminds him a bit of former CU Buffs sharpshooter Stevie Wise.

He was another lefty, Mason said. Stevie was a great shooter, and Jordan, he can really light it up.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post

While their games are different, Mason noted, his and Reeds demeanors are perfectly matched. And perfectly quiet.

Jordan doesnt talk a lot. Hes kind of like me, Mason said. Its weird we can have a workout and not say that many words. If we had a 30-minute workout, we might get about 20 words out.

And those words stick. Reeds Twitter feed was silent as of last Wednesday morning, but the banner picture on his account spoke volumes. It was a shot of Magic Johnson in Lakers gold, ball in his right hand, guarded by Michael Jordan.

I want to average a triple-double this year, Reed said. I know I was pretty close (last year). Im trying to get 30 (points), 10 (assists) and 10 (boards) a night, yeah.

My goal is to get eight (points) per quarter. And that (will) help me be able to know Im at least close to getting that 30.

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Manuals Jordan Reed wants to create like Ja Morant, score like James Harden, and fly his Thunderbolts to 3A championship. - The Denver Post