Austin Reaves admitted that he still hasn’t fully come to terms with the Los Angeles Lakers starting life without LeBron James.
Speaking to Dave McMenamin, Reaves revealed that James leaving the Lakers still hasn’t fully sunk in, as the Lakers prepare for a new era centered around Luka Doncic and Reaves himself.
“I don’t know if I’ve honestly processed it yet. I was thinking about it last night when I got here. Starting a season without him on the team is going to be different for me. That’s kind of all I’ve ever known. He’s always been around, joking, acting like he’s 15 years old. But that’s his decision. Like I said in Tahoe, and every other time I’ve been asked about it, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for him. Now let’s go play some golf soon.”
It’s a pretty honest admission from someone whose entire NBA journey has been tied to LeBron.
When Reaves entered the league as an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract in 2021, very few expected him to become a star for one of the NBA’s biggest teams. That season, the Lakers were hammered by injuries and roster issues, which paved the way for opportunities for younger players. And Reaves took them with both hands.
That caught the eye of LeBron, who took him under his wing. From the start, LeBron spoke highly of Reaves and the two stars became close off the court as well.
By the end of his second season, Reaves had emerged as the third option behind LeBron and Anthony Davis. And that moment came in the 2023 NBA playoffs.
In crunch time against the Memphis Grizzlies, LeBron repeatedly put the ball in Reaves’ hands, allowing the young guard to initiate offense in the biggest moments of the series. It was a rare vote of confidence from LeBron, who has never really handed that responsibility to an unproven teammate during the postseason.
Reaves rewarded that faith. He delivered several clutch performances as the Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals, and Reaves announced himself as one of the league’s fastest-rising stars, averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds during that playoff run.
And from then on, the growth never slowed. Each season brought more responsibility, and Reaves kept rising to the challenge.
Last season was the biggest leap of his career. With LeBron sidelined at the start of the season and Luka Doncic missing stretches with injuries, Reaves became the Lakers’ primary offensive engine. Even after both stars returned, his expanded role remained.
As Reaves and Doncic developed chemistry, LeBron shifted into more of a facilitator and a third scoring option, allowing the younger stars a larger share of the offensive load.
He averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range, establishing himself as one of the NBA’s premier scoring guards.
His breakout season also earned him a massive reward.
Rather than risk losing him in free agency, the Lakers signed him to a four-year, $185 million extension, as they made it clear they see him as one of the franchise’s foundational pieces moving forward.
Now comes the biggest challenge of his career.
For the first time since entering the NBA, Reaves will come into training camp without LeBron James beside him. There won’t be any locker-room banter, veteran presence, or the security blanket of having one of the greatest players ever on the same team.
The spotlight now shifts firmly onto him. With LeBron gone, Reaves has the chance to prove he can become the player his mentor believed he could be.
