The rise of Austin Reaves from an unheralded college basketball player who went undrafted to a key stud on the Los Angeles Lakers has been quite a story over the last couple of years.
In the fall of 2021, not many people expected much from him. But he was instantly thrust into the Lakers’ regular rotation, and he proved he could play. This past season, he emerged big time, and he was rewarded with a new four-year contract worth over $50 million, as well as a spot on Team USA’s FIBA World Cup roster.
Buy Lakers TicketsFox Sports 1 personality Skip Bayless compared Reaves’ rise to that of Jalen Hurts, the magnificent quarterback who led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance last season (h/t Heavy.com).
“He makes the team, and then he starts to play more and more,” said Bayless. “That first year, he shoots 32% from three, and last year he shot 40% from three. It’s Jalen Hurts-like where, all of a sudden, you transform yourself at the highest level into a very accurate passer.”
When he was in college, Hurts had lots of doubters, especially after he was benched at halftime of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship. But in 2022, he put together an MVP-caliber season and is now considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Reaves has also had to overcome doubters, and there are still some who doubt whether he is for real. But between his carefully crafted skill set and his will and desire, he isn’t going away anytime soon.
Bayless also compared Reaves to another QB who has unexpectedly emerged
Last season in the NFL, there was another quarterback who seemingly emerged out of nowhere: Brock Purdy, who was “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last player chosen in the 2022 draft.
He took over the starting job of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13 and played brilliantly the rest of the way. He didn’t suffer a defeat until the NFC Championship Game, when he tore the UCL in his throwing elbow, resulting in a 49ers loss to Hurts’ Eagles.
Bayless also sees a similarity between Reaves’ rise and that of Purdy.
“I’ve never seen anything like the Austin Reaves from college and what he turned into in pro basketball,” said Bayless, “It’s like Brock Purdy for the 49ers where I watched him a lot at Iowa State, and I saw none of this that I saw last year in San Francisco.
“I watched a majority of his games because I am a Sooner fan. He shot 28 percent from the college 3-point line and I just said, enough. Done. Nobody’s gonna draft him, and nobody drafted him.”
There are now some who think Reaves has a great shot to win this coming season’s Most Improved Player award. Such a development would be incredible news for a Lakers team that is quietly starting to prepare for life after LeBron James.
