Did Lakers sign Angel Reese’s brother Julian Reese after Maryland forward went undrafted? LeBron James’ newest teammate signing explored

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly signed Angel Reese’s brother, Julain Reese, after the Maryland forward went undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft. On Friday, ADS Sports Management broke the news to the community through a post on their Instagram account.

The sports agency shared a graphic of Julian with the Lakers logo and congratulated the Maryland forward for bagging the deal in the post’s caption.

“Big congrats to Julian Reese, who will head to LA with the Lakers!”

Trending

According to Bleacher Report, the Purple and Gold have signed the youngster to an undrafted free agent deal. Maryland basketball's X account also congratulated their forward for signing with one of the most esteemed franchises in the NBA.

On Friday, Chicago Sky star and Julian's sister Angel Reese reshared that post on her X account and motivated her brother.

"OPPORTUNITY. COME ON JU," Reese captioned.

Julian Reese averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 blocks while shooting 55.5 percent in his career with Maryland Terrapins. He also etched his name in top 10 of the program's history in total rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage.

However, the former Terrapin did not attempt a single shot from beyond the arc in his three seasons of college basketball. This statistic raised concerns about the youngster's offensive versatility with the drafting teams.

The current LA squad's biggest flaw is their lack of rim protection. They are yet to acquire a starting-level center. However, Julian Reese has a chance to make the cut as a backup center for the purple and gold if he impresses the franchise's executives during the summer league.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka ready to "turn over every stone" in search of a center

From trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic to selling the franchise at a $10 billion valuation, the Lakers have undergone some drastic changes. While Doncic's arrival immediately put the Purple and Gold in the top five teams in the Western Conference and they lived up to the expectations, finishing the season as the 3rd team in the standings.

However, a first-round exit exposed the major need for a starting-level or possibly an All-Star-level center for the team. The fans were expecting LA to fill in that flaw before the draft or during the draft, but instead, the Purple and Gold drafted a promising forward in Adou Thiero as the 36th pick.

Going into the NBA free agency, according to Dan Woike on Thursday, the Purple and Gold's general manager reportedly expressed his commitment to acquire a center during a post-draft conference.

"Pelinka said the Lakers have been "super active" in calls as they "turn over every stone" in hunt for C. Focus turns from draft to free agency "and we won't rest until we get it right." Dan Wolke from the Athletic tweeted.

The NBA free agency unofficially begins on June 30, and for now, the fans can only hope for Pelinka to live up to his words and get the team a big man that they desperately need.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Avi Shravan

Avi Shravan's first year of college was the year he discovered his passion for basketball and the NBA. He has been an ardent fan of the sport ever since, from waking up early to cover games to watching pundit discussions, he does it all.

Avi is a big fan of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and firmly believes that the young star is the next big thing in the NBA.

Avi graduated in Mass Communication and Journalism, further enhancing his skills as a journalist and a writer. In his spare time when he is not writing, you can find him playing video games, watching anime, or reading a book he randomly picked at a bookstore.

Know More