Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Darvin Ham Says Austin Reaves Can Have A Similar Career Trajectory To Ben Wallace
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Darvin Ham Says Austin Reaves Can Have A Similar Career Trajectory To Ben Wallace

Darvin Ham Says Austin Reaves Can Have A Similar Career Trajectory To Ben Wallace

Darvin Ham thinks Austin Reaves can have a great career.

The Vy Lee Tran
Sep 30, 2023
5 Min Read
Share
  • Darvin Ham had huge praise for Austin Reaves
  • Ham believes Reaves can have a similar career trajectory to Ben Wallace
  • The shooting guard is in line for a breakout season

The Los Angeles Lakers have a number of solid young role players on the roster right now, with the most prominent name being Austin Reaves. Reaves has definitely raised his stock over the course of last season, and the Lakers signed him to a four-year, $56 million contract this summer.

Contents
  • Rob Pelinka Believes Austin Reaves Has The Mamba Gene
  • Can Austin Reaves Make Another Leap For The Lakers?

Many believe that Austin Reaves can continue producing like he has, and have high hopes for him. Darvin Ham recently compared the Reaves’ career trajectory to Detroit Pistons legend Ben Wallace, noting that Wallace went from an undrafted player to a Hall-of-Fame defensive legend.

“The last player that I can think of that had that kind of ‘come-up’ was my brother Ben Wallace,” Darvin Ham said per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints. “Going from being undrafted to being a Hall-of-Famer, and I think Austin, with the type of person he is, the work he puts in, the way he cares about his teammates, the way he stays in the moment, I see his trajectory being very similar.”

Though it is unclear if Austin Reaves will actually become a legend like Ben Wallace, he is an undrafted player who has a good chance of staying in the league for a long time. Reaves has a skill set perfect for the modern game, and he can fit in on any squad.

During the 2023 playoffs, Austin Reaves averaged 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He clearly had a good run, but the obvious question is whether Reaves can keep up this sort of play for an entire season.


Rob Pelinka Believes Austin Reaves Has The Mamba Gene

Austin Reaves has had to fight to make the league, and it is clear that what matters most to him is his team winning. In fact, Rob Pelinka claimed that Austin Reaves has the “Mamba Gene”, stating that he’s only focused on helping the team win a championship.

“He uniquely has that ‘Mamba Gene’, where it is all about the work, it’s about playing competitively on every play, it’s about being a great teammate, not caring about personal accolades but the team winning… He’s got tremendous respect from other coaches and players around the league… He’s focused on one thing only and that’s to bring another championship to this organization, we’ll lean into that type of character.”

Hopefully, we do see Austin Reaves play well next season. The Los Angeles Lakers will give him every opportunity to succeed, and we’ll see what ends up happening with him in the future.


Can Austin Reaves Make Another Leap For The Lakers?

There is no doubt that many expect Austin Reaves to consistently be the third star for the Los Angeles Lakers, particularly on the offensive end. He has shown that he can do that in the playoffs, but doing it for 82 games is another story.

Defense is another area where Austin Reaves can improve. Though he has solid size for a guard, we often see teams target him on that end of the floor, and a defensive improvement would do wonders for his development.

Overall though, Austin Reaves has a lot of ballhandling and shooting ability, and that suggests he can be a consistent scorer while not being guarded like a primary option. It will be interesting to see what role Darvin Ham puts him in next season.

Austin Reaves’ development can definitely make or break the Los Angeles Lakers’ season in terms of being a true championship team. His ascension can greatly increase their chances, and we’ll see what happens in the future.

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.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Austin ReavesBen WallaceDarvin HamLos Angeles Lakers Archive
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByThe Vy Lee Tran
Follow:
The Vy Lee Tran is a Senior Writer for Fadeaway World, specializing in trade scenarios, blockbuster trades, and the NBA salary cap. He graduated from Earlham College with honors and a B. A. in English.He is an avid fan of the NBA as a whole and thinks Stephen Curry is quite easily a top-10 player of all time. In his free time, you can find Lee playing basketball and working on his 3PT jumper. Expertise: NBA, Trade Scenarios, CBA, Salary Cap, Player BreakdownsFavorite Team: New Orleans Pelicans Featured On Sports Illustrated, HoopsHype, Heavy
Previous Article Kyrie Irving Claims He Has The Best Handles In The NBA
Next Article Lakers Plan To Manage LeBron James’ Minutes And Offensive Workload In 2023-24
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to media before a Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

JJ Redick Explains Why Lakers Got Blown Out By Suns In Preseason Opener

October 4, 2025
Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts against the Golden State Warriors at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Phoenix Suns News & Analysis

Devin Booker Trolls Deandre Ayton During Lakers-Suns Game

October 4, 2025
Lonzo Ball
Cleveland Cavaliers News & Analysis

Lonzo Ball On Track For Major Redemption Season, Turning Heads At Training Camp

October 4, 2025
Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27), center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Christian Braun (0) in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Denver Nuggets News & Analysis

Denver Nuggets Guard Declares They Have The Best Starting Five In The NBA

October 4, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?