There’s something poetic about Austin Reaves’ journey. Not the flashy kind of poetry — not Shakespeare nor sonnets. More like a dusty country lyric scribbled on the back of a napkin. Small-town kid, undrafted long shot, ends up playing next to LeBron James and Luka Dončić. It’s the stuff of basketball folklore.
And yet, to hear Reaves talk, you’d think he’s still trying to make the team.
“I’m just trying to become a better basketball player all around,” he told Mirror U.S. Sports. “That’s the goal every summer — build momentum and have a better year than the one before.”
Momentum? He’s got that. After going undrafted in 2021, Reaves earned his spot with the Lakers the hard way — through Summer League scraps, G League reps, and a motor that wouldn’t quit. It wasn’t long before he went from Lakers cult favorite to playoff performer, from a small-time amateur golfer to one worthy of critiquing James’ golf swing. He dropped 23 in his postseason debut. He yelled “I’m him” in Memphis. The myth was building.
But now, it’s not just about proving he belongs. It’s about proving he can thrive anywhere, with anyone, whether that’s Dončić or Anthony Davis, the star duo that swapped places in a late-night blockbuster February trade that jolted the basketball world awake.
“Two different players, two different styles, and two different positions,” Reaves said when asked to compare Dončić and Davis. “It’s just completely different basketball, really. But both were fun. I love both of those guys. They’re great teammates who compete and play the game the right way.”
Coming from someone who’s shared the floor with an All-NBA big and a generational point-forward, that kind of balanced admiration says a lot. Reaves has found a way to blend into wildly different basketball ecosystems — and elevate them. He doesn’t need the ball to matter. He just needs the moment.
That adaptability is part of why the Lakers made headlines by trading for Deandre Ayton — another high-upside piece in their evolving core. Reaves didn’t hesitate when asked what he thought.
“It’s a good move. He’s a hell of a talent, someone who can score, he’s a lob threat. I’m definitely excited to get to work with him.”
Excited, but never satisfied.
His journey started at Wichita State, then Oklahoma, where he averaged 18.3 PPG as a senior. Still, he went undrafted. Rather than view it as a rejection, Reaves used it as fuel.
He signed a two‑way deal with the Lakers and earned a full roster spot within weeks. By March 2022, his 31‑point triple‑double made Lakers history — no undrafted rookie had done it before.
Reaves made himself indispensable, earning a $54 million contract extension in 2023. A Western Conference executive even compared him to a Hall of Famer: “the best undrafted player since Ben Wallace.”
But make no mistake, nothing has come easy. Reaves is still that same grinder from Newark, Arkansas. Just now, he’s doing it on prime time.
