After going undrafted again in 2021, Austin Reaves ended up signing with the LA Lakers. The Purple and Gold determined to supply Reaves a two-way contract that permits him to play for each the principle roster and their G League affiliate.
Finally, his quantity was referred to as for a complete of 61 video games final season and have become one of many Lakers’ strong bench gamers. However how precisely did Reaves make it to the NBA?
Let’s check out the trajectory of Austin Reaves’ basketball profession.
Austin Reaves’ NBA Journey
Austin Reaves is a 24-year-old NBA guard taking part in in his second season for the LA Lakers. However earlier than looking at his skilled portfolio, let’s concentrate on how he made it to the large leagues.
Austin Reaves attended Cedar Ridge Excessive College in Newark, Arkansas. He gained consecutive Class 2A state championships in his first two seasons. Top-of-the-line highlights of his highschool life was when Reaves scored 73 factors over Forrest Metropolis Excessive College in a triple-overtime victory.
As a senior, he led his workforce to the Class 3A State Championship with a median of 32.5 factors, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per recreation. After scoring 43.3 factors per recreation over the course of 4 video games, Reaves was named the state event’s MVP. Moreover, he was chosen for Class 3A All-State twice. To sum issues up, Reaves was principally one of many high prospect gamers of his time.
By the point Reaves made it to school, he ended up taking part in for 2 faculties. Throughout his first two seasons, he performed for Wichita State whereby he performed a a lot smaller function in comparison with what he was used to in highschool.
Reaves averaged 6.1 factors, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. This is not shocking contemplating many excessive schoolers usually alter to school basketball.
He then transferred to Oklahoma in 2018 however did not play till the 2019-20 NCAA season. Reaves’ stats considerably improved the second he made his debut with the squad.
He averaged a complete of 16.3 factors, 5.4 rebounds, and three.7 assists whereas taking part in two seasons for Oklahoma. Reaves then introduced his entry into the 2021 NBA Draft.
Finally, Austin Reaves went undrafted, however there was a serious purpose behind it. In accordance with the Silver Display screen & Roll, Reaves turned down a suggestion to be drafted by the Detroit Pistons. This was as a result of the LA Lakers gave him a name previous to draft night time, making certain a two-way contract deal if Reaves went undrafted.
Reaves instructed the draft night time story throughout an look on the “94 & Extra” podcast.
“The night time earlier than, the Lakers had referred to as,” Reaves stated. “And stated if for some purpose I’m going undrafted, that they needed to be the primary place that stated ‘hey, we’ve received a two-way for you.’ And so going into the draft we knew that I used to be gonna have a two-way contract in L.A., so we had been in a superb place with contract stuff and issues like that.”
He added:
“So going into the draft we didn’t actually press. I believe Detroit referred to as at like 41 or 42, whichever decide that they had, and had been like ‘we’ll take him on a two-way,’ and it was actually simply extra a scenario the place I needed to be the place we noticed the perfect match.”
Austin Reaves’ choice ended up paying off as he’s now taking part in an important function within the LA Lakers’ rotation. He is without doubt one of the workforce’s most strong function gamers, averaging 9.8 factors, 3.2 rebounds, and two assists per recreation this season. Reaves is environment friendly from the sphere capturing 51.1%.
His greatest recreation by far was after they defeated the San Antonio Spurs on November 20. He scored 21 factors and shot 7-of-11 from the sphere. Reaves is thought to be a wild card as he comes up with spectacular performs out of nowhere. He continuously hustles for the ball, secures some essential rebounds, and is artful in ending on the rim. The Lakers are undoubtedly pleased to have him on the roster.
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