Austin Reaves has been a revelation for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, and he has quickly become a key cog for the Lakers as a starter next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
There is no doubt that around the league, there are often preconceptions that players have about white players often like Austin Reaves. D’Angelo Russell recently explained how Reaves defies those preconceptions by being an all-around player.
“In the NBA you see a white guy, he’s usually the shooter and he usually can’t guard anybody,” Russell said per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Or he’s tough and can’t do anything else. For him to have a little bit of everything, I think it … helps the situation. And … he’s a killer. When you recognize a killer that [has the mentality of], ‘I’ll score 40 on you … and then I’ll try to score 50 on you.’ He’s that guy. Like if he’s going, he’s going to go and there’s no holding back. I think that’s what people recognize. He can really take the game over.”
We have seen Austin Reaves showcase many of his skills for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, and he has also shown up on the biggest stage in the playoffs. The Lakers will need him to keep playing at a high level to get far in the playoffs, and we’ll see if Austin Reaves is up to the challenge.
In the playoffs, Austin Reaves has averaged 17.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 4.4 APG for the Los Angeles Lakers. He shot 40.0% from the 3PT range in the first round, and it is clear that he is a role player made for high-pressure moments. He will likely get multiple contract offers this summer based on his play.
Austin Reaves Has Been Compared To Gordon Hayward
There are a number of players that have similar playstyles to Austin Reaves in the league, both currently and historically. Previously, we saw Shams Charania compare Reaves to former All-Star Gordon Hayward.
“This is who Austin Reaves reminds me of… Gordon Hayward. The way plays, how shifty he is, his jump shot reminds me of his.”
In his prime, Gordon Hayward was a player that could do a little bit of everything, and it is easy to see why Austin Reaves has gotten that comparison. Though Reaves is a little smaller than Hayward, they do have some clear similarities.
Hopefully, we see Austin Reaves continue to develop. He is one of the best players on the Los Angeles Lakers, and it’ll be interesting to see what he can become with a few more years under his belt.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
