AZ REID Gaffney's AZ Reid might be playing alongside reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant one day.

The former Gaffney High basketball standout will be flying to Los Angeles to work out for the Lakers on June 17. The NBA draft is slated for June 28.

Reid said the workout was arranged by his agent, former North Carolina State player Jamie Knox.

"My agent is doing all that work," Reid said. "(The Lakers) just want to see more of me."

Reid said playing for one of the NBA's mostsuccessful franchises would be a dream come true.

"I would love to go to the Lakers," said Reid, who finished sixth in the nation in both scoring and rebounding as a senior at High Point University this season.

Reid also has a workout scheduled with the Golden State Warriors on June 21.

Reid has spent the last few weeks in New York, honing his ballhandling skills, in particular, in preparation for the workouts with NBA teams.

"They have me doing a lot of ballhandling," Reid said. "My skills have improved a lot."

Reid displayed those skills at the Portsmouth Invitational last month - a showcase for future professional players. Reid led his team to a third-place finish at the tournament. He averaged 16 points and six rebounds in limited minutes at the tournament. In one game, he had 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field and seven rebounds.

But Reid said he focused on his defense, shutting down high-scoring Tennessee guard Chris Lofton and limiting University of Massachusetts star Gary Forbes to only three points.

Reid said his performance in the team workouts will likely dictate whether he'll get drafted.

Reid said he doesn't plan on watching the draft. Instead, he'll be doing what has become commonplace for him during the last few months - shooting 1,000 shots a day.

"I'll be working out during the draft," he said.