Austin Reaves is the new sensation of the Los Angeles Lakers. They need the Arkansas native to stay in shape and healthy. Moreover, in the last few seasons, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have not been in sound health. The James-Davis duo missed several games due to severe injuries. The Lakers Faithful knows how much the team depends on the James-Davis duo.
When that duo is becoming more and more injury-prone, the LA side needs a backup plan more than ever. For the 17-time champions, the backup plan is the Oklahoma Sooners kid. Currently, he is focusing on his prep for the next NBA season. Recently, in an interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Austin Reaves said that he feels that he’s in really good shape.
Why Does Austin Reaves Feel He’s In Pretty Good Shape?
The reason for that, as per Reaves, is the stint he had with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. That really helped him concentrate on his game and improve on it. Moreover, he had been the best player in Team USA in the World Cup. Lately, he debuted in the preseason against the Brooklyn Nets. Austin Reaves scored an impressive 18 points and knocked down four three-pointers from six attempts. The Arkansas native told Spectrum SportsNet further about his current Lakers team. He feels the Lakers have quite a few players who can shoot the ball really well.
Moreover, Austin Reaves added that when LeBron James and Anthony Davis show faith in their abilities, that helps a lot. Reaves is thankful for the trust LeBron James has shown him. Moreover, AR believes he and LeBron connected on an IQ level of the game. He mentioned during his first playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies that LeBron James gave him the ball during clutch moments. That’s how much Bron trusts the Oklahoma Sooners kid. Moreover, Austin Reaves wants to live up to these great expectations.
The Inspirational Rise Of The Arkansas Native
In the last couple of seasons, the rise of Austin Reaves has been very inspirational. Nobody drafted the Arkansas native in the NBA Drafts 2021. That same year, he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers. Initially, Austin Reaves did not get a place in the starting lineup. Gradually, he found his way to the starting lineup. In fact, it was LeBron and Anthony who noticed the high basketball IQ of AR in the minicamp of LBJ in Las Vegas. Moreover, in the last season, AR became a fan favorite because of his consistency and accuracy.
The front office soon realized that they needed to extend AR’s contract for a long-term deal. Moreover, the Lakers Nation feels Austin Reaves can be the leader of the future rosters of the franchise. On top of that, the Arkansas native wishes to stay part of the Lakers forever. He has been a big fan of Kobe Bryant’s Lakers dynasty. Moreover, the fans and experts expect Reaves to become eligible for his first All-Star selection next season. It is certainly possible, as AR can only get better from here on.
