It feels like an eternity ago now, but there was a moment when NBA big man Anthony Davis donned the Purple and Gold. In fact, he even helped to lead the Lakers to a championship in 2020.
Today, while he’s many months removed from his days in Los Angeles, Davis still maintains a close connection with some of his former teammates there. Namely, he identified Austin Reaves as the guy he misses the most in that locker room.
“I miss him,” said Davis. “Out of everybody on the team, I really miss Austin Reaves. That was my guy.”
The moment came during a bit on Davis’ new prank show called Foul Play, in which he pranks high-profile athletes on camera. In this case, his victim was Reaves, whom he had sounded the alarm for at the end of a fictional charity endurance contest.
Anthony Davis teamed up with Austin Reaves’ girlfriend, Jenna Barber, to trick Austin into thinking he owes 2 cars and $500K to fans 🤣💀
📺 Foul Play with AD airs Mondays on TBS pic.twitter.com/AE0XWuyXej
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 26, 2026
Davis joined the Lakers back in 2019, after seven seasons with the Pelicans. LeBron, who had just finished his first season in Los Angeles, desperately needed a co-star, and the opportunity lured the 6’10” big man to try his luck with the Purple and Gold. It paid off right away for Davis, who would go on to win his first (and so far his only) NBA championship less than one year later.
At the time, you would have guessed that James and Davis were like best friends on that team (and may join forces again), but it was actually Austin Reaves with whom Davis had a special connection. They just clicked as teammates, and it helped to usher in an era of prosperity for the Lakers. In the process, they developed real and irreplaceable chemistry that they hoped would translate into another championship. In the end, however, GM Rob Pelinka gave it up in the acquisition of Luka Doncic, forever closing that chapter in Lakers history.
Looking back, Davis still has many strong feelings about his time in Los Angeles, and it’s easy to see why. It was with the Lakers that he reached the height of his career, and there that he formed the closest bonds with his teammates. On the Wizards, the star big man doesn’t have nearly the same familiarity or bonds as he did in LA.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Reaves has only improved since the Davis trade. The 2025-26 campaign was a career year for the Lakers’ sharpshooter, with averages of 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 49.0% shooting from the field and 36.0% shooting from three. At 27, he’s become Luka’s primary co-star and is currently up for a massive new contract extension.
Regarding the prospect of a reunion with Davis, Reaves shouldn’t hold his breath. With no plans of leaving Los Angeles, it’s unlikely he’ll ever play with the star big man again, who turned 33 in March. The closest they’ll ever come is by reminiscing on the good old days, which ended sooner than anyone could have imagined.
