THE legacy of Ryan Reid, the former Florida State University and Jamaica national team standout who died suddenly from a heart attack on July 9 at age 38, will be permanently enshrined by his alma mater, Boyd Anderson High School, in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

A jersey retirement ceremony is set for December 5, 2025, the school has confirmed.

Reid was widely respected for his dedication, toughness, and leadership on and off the court. Boyd Anderson High will honour him for a stellar high school career in which he averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks per game over his final three seasons before graduating in 2005. The ceremony will see his number 42 jersey raised to the rafters.

At Florida State, where he played from 2006 to 2010 under Head Coach Leonard Hamilton, Reid earned a reputation as one of the hardest workers and fiercest competitors in the programme’s history. He graduated with a degree in social science in 2010 and was selected in the second round of the NBA draft that same year by the Indiana Pacers before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he was part of the 2012 NBA finals team.

Coach Hamilton remembered Reid not only for his contributions to the Seminoles but for his character and values.

“The thing that was special about Ryan is that, more than anything, he was an unbelievable human being. He was courteous, polite; people liked him for who he was, even beyond basketball. He was a gentleman in every stretch of the imagination,” he said.

Hamilton emphasised Reid’s academic diligence and emotional intelligence as much as his basketball acumen.

“Academically, he was responsible. He always showed up to his tutoring sessions and did everything he needed to do to earn his degree. Socially, he was fun to be around, he always lightened the mood. But one thing you could always count on with Ryan was that he gave everything he had, every possession, every practice, every game. He never made excuses, ever.”

While Reid’s college averages were modest — 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in his best season, with career totals of 624 points and 490 rebounds over 126 games — his impact was immeasurable, particularly in intangibles like leadership, defence, and hustle.

“He got drafted mostly on his toughness and his defensive ability,” Hamilton said. “He never backed down. That was just his nature. He took great pride in not letting anyone outwork him.”

Reid also made a lasting impact internationally, serving as a central figure in the golden era of Jamaica men’s basketball from 2009 to 2013.

His performance at the 2011 Caribbean Championships, where Jamaica fielded an undermanned squad, was pivotal to qualifying for the 2012 Centrobasket tournament and the 2013 FIBA Tournament of the Americas (TOA) where Jamaica famously defeated world number 3 Argentina and number 9 Brazil to win the bronze medal.

“He literally put us on his back and shoulders,” said Ajani Williams, former NBA player and president of the Jamaica Basketball Association.

“Unquestionably, no Ryan, no FIBA TOA. He was a gracious human, a great man, husband, dad, friend, and patriot. He loved Jamaica and his parish of birth, Portland.”

Paulton Gordon, current JBA president, also praised Reid, saying, “Ryan was a giant in every sense of the word, a true leader who displayed the pride and passion reflective of a true Jamaican. He will be sadly missed.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder, through their Thunder Legacy Network, also paid tribute: “Ryan made his mark on our organisation through his authentic good nature and hard-working spirit, and it is truly tragic to have lost him at such a young age. Our deepest condolence go to his family and friends.”

Kendrick Perkins, Reid’s former Thunder teammate and now an ESPN analyst, posted on Instagram:

“Rest in Peace young Fly high my brother .”

Current FSU Head Coach Luke Loucks, who was Reid’s teammate during his college years, also reflected on his presence.

“Ryan was more than just a great basketball player, he was a great competitor, a trusted teammate, a natural leader, a devoted husband and a loving father…His personality filled every room, his sense of humour lifted every moment, and his presence made us all better, on and off the court.”

Coach Hamilton echoed those sentiments: “Ryan and I had a really, really good relationship. He made the same kind of impact in high school, and I’m sure that’s why they’re retiring his jersey because of who he was and what he represented. He not only represented his parents, but his people, his family in Jamaica. If people could emulate him, they’d be moving in the right direction.”

Reid is survived by his wife Rebecca, daughter Yaya, son Preston, mother Jasmine Mullings, father Kenneth Mullings, sister Rosmarie “Dionne” Lindo, cousin Audley Lindo, and a host of loved ones who continue to mourn a man gone too soon but never to be forgotten.