Austin Reaves has firmly established himself as one of the vital cogs in a Los Angeles Lakers unit spearheaded by marquee names LeBron James and Luka Dončić.
While James and Dončić were expected to be the big guns for the Purple and Gold at the start of the season, Reaves has emerged as a reliable and lethal two-way package as the Lakers push toward another healthy regular-season record.
LeBron James Recalls His Hilarious First Impression of Austin Reaves
Earlier, Reaves was a guest on James’ “Mind the Game” podcast, along with co-host and retired All-Star Steve Nash. During their chat, Nash asked the four-time NBA champion for his first thoughts about Reaves, and a hilarious response followed.
“I had never seen him play up until the point we signed him. I went back and watched a lot of his Wichita State highlights and games, and a lot of his Oklahoma highlights and games, as well. The first thing I noticed, it’s kind of funny, we always talk about this, he didn’t play like a white boy,” James said, as chuckles broke out.
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“White guys playing like white guys and white guys playing like the brothers. And what I could see in his game was that he had a lot of wiggle to his game, and that was one of the things that, quite frankly, we were missing. We didn’t have. I thought that his game would translate to us, his ability to crack the seams, and his ability to get into the paint.”
The Lakers inked Reaves as an undrafted free agent out of college. He improved his scoring each year in school, and his 7.3 average as a rookie in the league rose meteorically with each passing season. This year, the guard is averaging 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
Explosive and athletic, Reaves has also been key in the non-James and Dončić minutes, keeping the offense churning. He will be one of the most-followed players in the offseason with a player option looming as the Lakers look to retain his services.
On the season front, James and Reaves will look to make a move for the championship after being perennial playoff contenders.
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While the Lakers have work to do on both ends of the floor, they have played quality ball this season, making a case as bona fide title contenders.
Their solid nine-game win streak was snapped by the Detroit Pistons on Monday, but the 46-26 Lakers are still on track to make the postseason as a top-three side, barring a shocking sputter. For now, all eyes will be on Reaves to see if he can carry his pristine form to the playoffs.
