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Kendrick Perkins Mourns the Death of Former Thunder Teammate

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 7:03 PM ET

In the spring of 2012, the Oklahoma City Thunder surged to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1996, when the franchise was based in Seattle (SuperSonics).

Now, more than a decade later, most fans look back on that team as what could have been with a core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

However, few remembered that on the fringe of that rotation stood a young forward named Ryan Reid, a former second‑round pick out of Florida State.

On Monday, the basketball world learned of Reid’s untimely death at age 38, and among the first to take notice was his former Thunder teammate and now ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins.

Perkins sent a tribute to Reid on Instagram, writing, "Rest in Peace young Fly high my brother ️."

Reid died following a medical emergency on July 9.

Reid was born in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, and blossomed into a standout at Boyd Anderson High School. He averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks per game as a junior and senior, earning a scholarship to Florida State.

From 2006 to 2010, Reid developed under coach Leonard Hamilton into a physical, versatile forward and leader, becoming just one of three players in school history to reach the NCAA postseason in all four years.

His final senior season saw him average a career-high 6.8 points, 4 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks across 31 games (29 starts).

The Indiana Pacers selected Reid with the 57th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, immediately trading his rights to the Thunder.

After a stint with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League, he earned a roster spot for the 2011-12 NBA season.

In five appearances with the Thunder, Reid logged 17 total minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing two rebounds.

Though his time in Oklahoma City was limited, Reid went on to enjoy a long international career, competing overseas in Puerto Rico, France, Japan and Canada up until 2019.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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