Austin Reaves didn’t always “love” LeBron James. In fact, as a 12-year-old Kobe Bryant fan, he was trolling him on social media. In April 2012, Reaves posted “When I need some peace and quiet, I set my phone to LeBron Mode: No Ring,” a dig at LeBron’s slightly bad patch. So when Reaves joined the Lakers to team up with James in 2021, it set the scene for a dramatic relationship. However, over the years, he developed a strong bond with James, and this season they have been instrumental in turning around the Lakers’ fortunes as they clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Reaves is enjoying the best season of his career, emerging as the Lakers’ third-leading scorer with 20.2 points per game, behind only Luka Dončić and LeBron James. He’s also contributing 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while logging 34.9 minutes per game. The Lakers have been able to shine with him part of the ‘Big Three,’ and he is thankful to LeBron for his help.

“I wasn’t a huge LeBron fan, I was a Kobe (Bryant) fan, so automatically I didn’t love him, but obviously respected his game,” Reaves said after the 140-109 rout of the Rockets on Friday. During the 2011 finals, he made a social media post saying, “Dirk is too much for LeBron.” Then in May 2014, Reaves retweeted: “Kobe & MJ > LeBron. Just remember, we didn’t have to team up with 2 of the top 5 picks in our draft class along with the greatest 3-point shooter ever to finally win rings.” But now, he cannot stop raving about the role of James in his rise.

“Just being around him every single day, the joy that he brings to the team, like, I said, he’s never in a bad mood. He’s always joking, laughing, having a good time. And for him to you know welcome me from when I was on a two-way, the same way as he does today. It just meant a lot to me. And obviously, you know, being able to play alongside him just helped me grow every single day. So I owe him a lot for what he’s helped me accomplish,” he said.

When Reaves first joined the Lakers, he had to fight for playing time and prove he belonged. LeBron James quickly recognized his potential and made it a point to support him, while also challenging him to improve. That trust became clear in Reaves’ second season, especially during the 2023 playoffs, when LeBron began relying on him in clutch situations. From handling the ball late in games to taking key shots, Reaves earned LeBron’s confidence.

Over his first three NBA seasons, the guard showed consistent improvement year by year. But this season, he’s taken a major leap, establishing himself as a crucial part of the team and gaining widespread praise from both fans and analysts. He has gone from an undrafted free agent to a key starter on a contending team.

More importantly, the Lakers are delivering on JJ Redick’s expectations.

“It is on all of us to deliver a championship-level team. That is what I signed up for.” JJ Redick said in his Lakers’ introduction press conference in June 2024. But a mixed start to the season may have led Redick to wonder whether the demand was too much for his team. A 2–4 record in November was not ideal, and by mid-December, they were sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference. But the tide began to turn slowly. Even before they acquired Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade, they were on an upward curve. They had gone on a 13-7 run and had moved to fifth in the standings. Now, seven months and 81 games later, Reaves believes the team has emerged capable of challenging for the title.

Reaves said, “I feel like we can win a championship to be honest with you. And the reason of that is I know that everybody in that locker room believes that. And (it) is also bought into whatever your role is to help us do that. You could go you know, down the line of everybody in there and ask them you know, what their role is. They’ll tell you exactly what it is.” Reaves highlighted the role of the coaching staff in their revival.

“That’s why I give this coaching staff a lot of credit, is that they come in and they planted their system and they held guys accountable to what they asked them to do. And everybody bought into that,” AR added.

Lakers’ resurgence has come with improvements in the team’s prowess. In the first 23 games of the season, they ranked 26th in defensive rating. But over the next 24 games, they surged to fourth, marking a dramatic turnaround on that end of the floor.

Lakers have their first 50-win season since winning the championship in 2019-20, and the confidence will only grow from here. So, how well will this love, team chemistry, and role clarity translate in the playoffs?

Can Austin Reaves’ resurgence win another title for the Lakers?

After 81 games, the grass is looking greener. But the real test starts on April 19 when the actual playoffs start. The Lakers, once a far-fetched name in the title run, are now one of the strong contenders for the title. Along with superstars like Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura are seen as impact players in the lineup.

Reaves, in particular, has been a versatile and crucial player for the Lakers under JJ Redick. Austin Reaves’ strong performance and increased role could contribute significantly to the Lakers’ chances of winning another championship. His ability to play both on and off the ball, along with his high competitive drive, makes him a valuable asset for the team.

But Reaves thinks otherwise. Knowing the challenges ahead, he brings the whole team into the discussion. Talking to the press, he said, “Like I said, it’s going to be hard to stop us. But it’s not just me and LeBron, you know we have a great team around us, everybody helps us in so many ways. So, if we want to win the championship, it’s going to take all of us.”

The Lakers will wrap up the regular season on Sunday afternoon in Portland against the Trail Blazers, before returning to Los Angeles to host Games 1 and 2 of their first-round playoff series, marking their first time opening the postseason at home since April 2012.

Even though Reaves is looking to distribute the load, he is the key piece for the Lakers’ success in the postseason. His enhanced scoring and versatile skill sets have put the Lakers in a strong 3rd place finish in the regular season. It will be interesting to watch how he takes things further, riding high on confidence and current peak, just at the right time.