Austin Reaves continues to be a rare anomaly in the modern NBA. He went from going undrafted in 2021, turning down the opportunity to play for the Detroit Pistons, and signing a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers to eventually becoming a key member of JJ Redick’s new-look team. Reaves’ rise to prominence is a story for the ages, but it comes as no surprise to LA’s LeBron James.

In a recent interview with Reaves and Phoenix Suns legend Steve Nash, James revealed how Reaves made an immediate impression on him as a rookie due to his uncanny style of play, which set him apart from other Caucasian basketball players.

“After we signed him, I went back and watched a lot of his Wichita State highlights and games and then a lot of his Oklahoma highlights and games as well,” James told Nash on the latest segment of Mind The Game. “The first thing I noticed, it’s kind of funny. We always talk about this. He didn’t play like a white boy. It was very different. His wiggle was very different. I mean, I grew up in Northeast Ohio, so I know white guys playing like white guys and white guys playing like the brothers, and what I could see in his game is that he had a lot of wiggle to his game. That was one of the things, quite frankly, we were missing.”

LeBron James went on to add that he believes in Reaves’ ability since the first practice session. The young shooting guard was the missing piece of the puzzle in LA, and his intuition has been proven right five years later.

“I thought that his game would translate to us, his ability to crack the seams, and his ability to get into the paint, and him playing, even though their team wasn’t as good as Oklahoma, his game kind of, it showed a pro. That’s what I saw early on.
So as soon as training camp started, I kind of made it a point to kind of beeline to him and kind of force something into him, maybe even before he even saw it…I was kind of on him, like pretty much from day one, because I felt like, one, we needed that, you know, as far as because we didn’t possess that consistently. But also, I saw he had game too, and I really thought that it could translate to the big leagues.”

Reaves is currently enjoying the best season of his career with the Lakers. Over 45 games this campaign, Reaves is averaging 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists playing alongside Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, and James.

In the latter’s absence, the Doncic-Reaves pairing has a 9-2 record in the league. Reaves, Doncic, and James are the only trio in the NBA that are averaging 20+ PPG heading into the playoff season.

Austin Reaves credits James, AD, and Rajon Rondo for mentorship

Reaves’ first two seasons with the Lakers weren’t easy. He needed to prove himself and gain the respect of his superstar teammates. From 2021 to 2023, the 27-year-old averaged 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. This is a far cry from the numbers he’s posting today, but the grind was part of the rise, as it often is.

Reaves attributes his development to Bron, Anthony Davis, and Lakers cult hero Rajon Rondo. He revealed that he had to miss a friend’s wedding in order to attend LeBron’s mini-camp. The Newark native also mentioned that he was concerned that he was asking too many questions of players like Rondo and AD, but to their credit, they were more than willing to answer the rook.

“They were like, ‘you’re good,’ like just be yourself…on the court, off the court, whatever it is, just be you,” Reaves said while talking about his seniors.

Even HC JJ Redick has been appreciative of Reaves in the offseason, asserting the Lakers are “as much Austin’s team as it is LeBron’s team or Luka’s team…You’re one of the guys now. Every day, he’s willing to be coached.”

His budding ‘bromance’ with Doncic is a positive sign for the future of the organization, especially considering LeBron’s journey is coming to an end sooner rather than later. A new supermax deal could be on the cards this summer, but for now, Reaves is locked in for the postseason.

Despite their dominance in the last 10 games, LA fell to a narrow 110-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons last night. They remain the third seed in the West with a 46-26 record. With straightforward games against the Indiana Pacers, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Washington Wizards coming up, Reaves and the Lakers have a chance to get back to winning ways.