- Austin Reaves played his part in helping Team USA make the semis of the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- Reaves was earlier slammed for his dismal outing against Lithuania
- Austin Reaves is looked at as an X-factor player for the Los Angeles Lakers this new season
After seeing Team USA through to the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinals, Austin Reaves had a strong message for the haters who sounded off on him after his forgettable outing in the team’s solitary loss against Lithuania.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of Team USA’s blowout 100-63 win against Italy, Reaves, who had 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, said:
“You man up, you go watch the film and you see the stuff that you didn’t do good — obviously struggled to guard the post,” Reaves said when asked how he was able to bounce back from his performance against Lithuania. “My brother’s boy made a couple of good moves. You tip your hat, but at the end of the day, you never lose confidence in what you do as a basketball player, and anybody that tries to make me lose confidence, good luck to ’em.”
These are strong words from Reaves, who had a dismal outing against Lithuania as he converted just one of his four shot attempts from the field and finished with five fouls in his 13 minutes on the floor.
Reaves was only the third player in double figures after Mikal Bridges (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist), Tyrese Haliburton (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Austin Reaves (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists).
The win against Italy will see Team USA play the victor of the Germany vs. Latvia game on September 8.
Austin Reaves’ Brother Slams Critics After Team USA’s Loss To Lithuania
Austin Reaves’ brother Spencer wasn’t one to take it after haters trolled the Los Angeles Lakers star after the team’s loss on Sunday. Taking to X, Spencer had a simple message.
“People really had ‘Austin Reaves sucks’ tweets just waiting in the drafts for a bad game.”
That said, it’s worth noting that Spencer, who played with Lithuanian player Vaidas Kariniauskas for the German club Brose Bamberg wanted the latter to trash-talk Reaves, which was seen on full display and went viral on social media.
Soon after the game, Kariniauskas revealed that it was nothing personal against Reaves, and while the defeat may have stung the unit, it was all good between Reaves and the guard.
Austin Reaves Intent On Winning A Championship Alongside LeBron James And Anthony Davis
Since entering the NBA as an undrafted rookie, Austin Reaves has made massive strides in the league for the Lakers. Last month, after his Team USA debut, his quick cameo in the final minutes earned lavish praise from LeBron James, and in response, Reaves said he wanted to win a title with the four-time NBA champion.
“That’s my guy. I’ve learned a lot from him in the past two years. It feels good when he kind of validates that you can actually play. It’s been a special two years, and hopefully, we can go win a championship this year.”
The guard was phenomenal in the playoffs for LA averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, and was the bonafide third offensive option behind James and Davis in their Conference Finals sweep to the Denver Nuggets.
In return, the Lakers front office reposed their faith in the young star with a four-year, $56 million deal. His gritty style of play makes him one of the toughest players on the side, and with the Lakers gunning for another championship run, there is no doubt that Reaves will be looked at as one of the vital cogs in their NBA 2023-24 campaign.
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