“It all happened so fast… 18 months…” Grant Hill sums up the express outbreak ofAustin Reaves, passed from the end of the bench of the Lakers to that of Team USA. Undrafted player, born in a village of Arkansas of 1,000 inhabitants, the young rear of Los Angeles is one of the great stories of recent years.
Unknown to the general public and even to some NBA players, he has become one of the faces of the new look Lakers, to the point of extending for 54 million dollars over four years. He even has his signature shoe, like the greats, but don’t count on him getting big-headed and slamming everything into sports cars or really big name clothes.
The rumor with Taylor Swift made him laugh
“Obviously it makes a difference in that my family, my friends and I don’t have to worry about that side of life anymore,” recognizes Reaves in LA Times columns. “But in my day-to-day life, I don’t think things really change. It’s not like I’m going to go out and buy the craziest things or things like that.”
Another proof of his budding celebrity, his name appeared on the front page of “people” magazines as Taylor Swift’s new “boyfriend”!
“I never met her” he assures. “I don’t know her… It was so unexpected that I really found it funny when people sent me that. Obviously, my homies were getting fired up. »
In selection too, we ignite, but for his talent. Starting with his coach Steve Kerr: “ His history East pretty surprising, considering he wasn’t drafted two years ago. And now he’s playing for Team USA and he’s one of the Lakers’ top three players. Austin is one of the hottest young players in this league. What we are looking for in FIBA is versatility. You need size defensively, the ability to change positions and defend multiple positions, and then you need creativity. For me, Austin is a complete player, a guy who impacts winning at a very high level. »
Austin Reaves, the embodiment of courage
Same emphasis at Grant Hill, the GM of Team USA. “I love the courage he embodies and which has brought him this far. His shot, his game, his grit and his toughness. At first I thought it was a shooter. But it turned out [pendant les playoffs]. We saw what he did against Golden State, we saw how he played against Denver, what he did against Memphis. Considering his youth and the path he took, without having stage fright in those moments, it’s because he has something. »
Within Team USA, his CV is the least impressive. He is neither All-Star nor NBA champion, and his teammates find out. Like Brandon Ingram.
“What I’ve noticed is that he’s consistent in the way he plays and he doesn’t do anything but play. He’s very thorough defensively, whether it’s getting in front of the ball or getting a rebound. No matter what he does, he does.” highlights the Pelicans winger. For Mikal Bridges, it’s his aggressiveness in attack. “What I like the most about him is that he knows how to cause a foul. He knows how to cause fouls and get to the free throw line and that’s a quality. It’s a form of talent and it’s very underrated. People don’t really understand him, but those who do know how difficult it is to defend on him. »
For Reaves, playing every possession as if the outcome of the match depended on it is the key to his talent. “I’m not the most athletic person in the world, but I pay attention to detail and I know basketball. » It’s that simple !
| Austin Reaves | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2021-22 | ALL | 61 | 23 | 45.9 | 31.7 | 83.9 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
| 2022-23 | ALL | 64 | 29 | 52.9 | 39.8 | 86.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 13.0 |
| Total | 125 | 26 | 50.1 | 36.3 | 85.6 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 10.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
