Terrapin Loyalty

Julian Reese had a decision to make following Maryland basketball’s disappointing 2023-24 campaign. 

The star big man endured his second losing season in three years. In the latter, the Terps finished as a bottom-three team in the Big Ten despite being predicted to garner a top-three finish in the conference’s preseason media poll. 

Reese had every reason to enter the transfer portal and pursue a fresh start elsewhere, yet he didn’t. 

As Maryland prepares for postseason play, Reese — a senior — will finish out his career as an all-time great Terp, all while his team enjoys one of its most successful seasons in over two decades. 

“I knew what I had here at Maryland,” Reese said regarding his decision to stick it out in College Park. “It was just a no-brainer for me this offseason.”

The Terps boast a 24-7 overall record, including a 14-6 mark in conference play. They enter the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 11 ranked team in the AP Poll and the No. 2 seed — tied for the program’s highest seeding since joining the conference for the 2014-15 season. 

Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 252 pounds, Reese is one of the biggest reasons why Maryland is enjoying an impressive campaign. He recently earned his third All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, averaging 13.2 points and 9.3 rebounds while making a glaring presence on the defensive end. The Baltimore native and St. Frances Academy graduate is the heart and soul of the team. 

Reese’s loyalty, unselfishness and work ethic shine brighter than Reese’s court play. All three qualities encapsulate his role in Maryland’s return to prominence and his recognition as one of the best players to wear a Maryland uniform.   

“Ju has had a great impact on this program,” said Jordan Geronimo, Reese’s teammate each of the last two seasons. “Everybody knows Ju as the physical, dominant big man as he is, and that's what he has been for us this season. He just keeps giving us opportunities to succeed.”

According to 247Sports, Reese came to College Park in 2021 as a local four-star prospect and the No. 1 overall player from the state. However, his wherewithal was tested in his first season. His recruiter, Bino Ranson, accepted a job at DePaul before ever coaching Reese from the sideline. Ranson had been an assistant for the Terps for 11 seasons before his departure. 

The big man even lost his head coach, Mark Turgeon, less than a month into the season when Turgeon suddenly resigned. The team went 15-17 in 2021-22, enduring its first losing season in 30 years. The uncertainty heading into the following season would’ve been palpable to anyone, especially for a freshman who averaged just 5.7 points per game as a rotational piece. 

But Reese saw an opportunity at the end of the tunnel and trusted Kevin Willard, who took the reins as Maryland’s head coach following the season. 

“Throughout the years, I feel like we’ve had amazing potential coming in my freshman year,” Reese said. “Especially with a new coaching staff the next year [and] just building on that.”

Reese’s belief in his new coach immediately paid off. The Terps went 22-13 in 2022-23 and capped off their season with an NCAA tournament appearance. Reese developed into one of the top big men in the conference, garnering an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and evolving as an efficient scorer and rebounder around the rim. 

Many signs reinforced optimism that the Terps would continue building on their successful campaign in 2023-24. However, Maryland ultimately fell short of expectations, and five players from the team entered the transfer portal following the season’s end. Reese was coming off a career year, setting bests in every major counting stat and earning another All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.  

Reese would’ve received significant interest from other nationwide programs if he had considered different options. Yet he returned to the only place he had ever known. Reese is the only player on this year’s roster who was on Willard’s inaugural 2022-23 team, let alone the 2021-22 team he started his collegiate journey with.

Willard acknowledged how rare it is for a student-athlete in the NIL and transfer portal era to play for the same university every year of his career. 

“You're probably looking at maybe one of the last guys ever to spend four years or [have] been here for four years at Maryland,” Willard said, highlighting Reese’s loyalty.

Reese’s loyalty wasn’t the only factor in what transpired. The big man has also made drastic improvements to his game this season. On the surface, his numbers are almost identical to last season. However, he’s drastically improved his midrange jump shot, his shooting from the free-throw line and his ability to defend while avoiding foul trouble. All were previously areas of his game he struggled with.  

Willard praised Reese for his development, crediting his work ethic. 

“Ju is different,” Willard said. “Ju is a big guy that enjoys working. … It just shows you the maturity he's had, and also his work ethic. He's got a great work ethic, which is very rare for big guys. Most big guys just don't like working on their game.”

The microcosm to Reese’s numbers appearing the way they do is sharing the frontcourt with freshman sensation Derik Queen and three other starters who can score in bunches. Still, he’s played an integral role in the young star’s development by empowering him with valuable advice on and off the court.

“That's my guy,” Queen said, referring to Reese. “He’s just been basically taking me under his wing.”

Willard says the two biggest things Reese wanted that influenced his return were earning his degree from the University of Maryland and returning to the NCAA Tournament. He will leave the university having accomplished both feats. 

Reese will also leave as one of the all-time greatest Terps. He currently ranks third in rebounds (976), fifth in double-doubles (36), eighth in blocked shots (174) and 23rd in points (1,420) in program history. He is one of five players in program history who has reached those career rebounding and scoring thresholds.

Knowing he’s playing his last stretch of games is bittersweet for Reese. But he’ll have an opportunity to go out on top as the Terps take on the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.  

“I’m just grateful to be a part of what’s new upcoming [with] our new culture here and be here from the start,” Reese said. “It means a lot to me.”