After a banner sophomore season with the Los Angeles Lakers, guard Austin Reaves is starting to hit his stride as a pro basketball player.
He just landed a four-year, $54 million contract, got his own signature sneaker and secured a starting job on a Lakers team that is considered a legitimate championship contender. In addition, he has become a key member of Team USA’s entry in the upcoming FIBA World Cup.
Reaves has reportedly been looking good during scrimmages with his Team USA mates lately. In fact, head coach Steve Kerr had lots of good things to say about the 25-year-old (h/t Lakers Daily).
“He fits in wherever we put him; that’s the beauty of Austin,” Kerr said. “He’s a connector. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s physical, shoots and passes it. Just so poised out there all the time. He’s a guy who enhances any lineup that he plays with.
“… Just feel, vision, awareness, and understanding of the game,” said Kerr of what makes Reaves a “connector.” “The ball just goes to the right spot, the right cut is made. Austin made a play yesterday where he made a drive and kick; he was kind of behind the defense, and he worked completely behind the defense, flashed kind of in the middle of the paint, caught it and swung it through. He had feel; you have to have awareness to make a play like that. So connectors are guys who make those types of plays, and the game just makes sense, and you end up getting open shots.”
Kerr coached against Reaves just a few months ago when his Golden State Warriors lost to the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs. He said that the experience made it a “pretty easy choice” to include Reaves on the Team USA roster.
