MM 3.28: Maryland men’s basketball forward Julian Reese to return for senior season

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

Kevin Willard has been busy since Maryland men’s basketball’s season ended, working to revamp his roster after a disappointing second season as the program’s head coach. But arguably his top priority was keeping forward Julian Reese, primed to be the team’s top returning player but subject to whispers about his possible departure.

Those rumors were put to bed Wednesday when Reese posted a video to X, announcing that he will return to College Park for his senior season.

“From Baltimore to College Park, Maryland has made me who I am,” Reese said in the video. “It’s time for one last run.”

Since becoming a full-time starter as a sophomore, Reese has blossomed into one of the best post players in the Big Ten. Having just finished his junior season, he’s earned two consecutive All-Big Ten honorable mentions, this most recent season averaging 13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, adding 60 blocks, 41 assists and 32 steals.

Reese’s shooting percentage of .558 is the seventh-best in program history, helping him cross the 1,000-point career threshold this year. Additionally, his 689 career rebounds are tied for the 17th-most ever by a Terp and his 125 career blocks are tied for 11th-most.

Reese will likely assume his position in the frontcourt alongside five-star freshman Derik Queen, with whom he overlapped for a year in high school at Baltimore-based St. Frances Academy.

In other news

Maryland men’s basketball landed Belmont transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who will immediately compete to be the team’s starting point guard.

No. 1 Maryland women’s lacrosse had its six-game winning streak snapped by No. 14 Penn.

Maryland women’s basketball guard Summer Bostock entered the transfer portal. Bostock played just 47 minutes this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.