Los Angeles Lakers starting guard Austin Reaves had a game in his first professional postseason appearance. To help No. 7, Los Angeles beat No. 2 Memphis 128-112 in Game 1 of the Western Conference series, Reaves scored 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range. During a tense two-minute span in the fourth quarter, Reaves scored nine straight baskets for the Lakers, extending their lead from 111-109 to 120-112. Reaves scored 16 of his team-high 33 points in the second half, helping the Lakers to a 69-point offensive explosion.
“You dream about being on a stage like this with the best players in the world,” Reaves stated. “I got hot and funky after midnight.” The starting lineup for the final 10 games of the regular season was LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, and Jared Vanderbilt, while the second-year guard started the other 22 games.
Source: Sporting news
Austin Reaves Early Life
The professional basketball player was born in Newark, Arkansas, in the United States of America, to Nicole Wilkett and Brian Reaves, who met while playing basketball at Arkansas State University. Nicole Willett and Brian Reaves both played basketball professionally. He was raised alongside his sole sibling, Spencer, from birth. At Cedar Ridge High School in Newark, Arkansas, where he was a student for four years, Reaves honed his skills as a basketball player. After finishing his studies, he enrolled at Wichita State College to play collegiate basketball. Austin attended the college for two years before transferring after his sophomore year and sitting out the next year due to NCAA transfer restrictions. Austin played collegiate basketball at Oklahoma.
A career with the Lakers
The Lakers signed him to a two-way deal in August 2021, just before training camp for the 2021-22 season, after he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draught. He established himself as a legitimate NBA player during his first year and, more importantly, won James’ confidence as the main player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Reaves finished the season averaging 13 points, three rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting 52.9% overall and 39.8% from deep. He became better as the year went on, and in the final 23 games of the regular season, he shot 57.8% from the field and 44.3% from beyond the arc for an average of 17.6 points per game. Sunday’s victory for the Lakers required a team effort, and Reaves’ contribution was as significant as that of his colleagues.
“I knew from the first practice we had when we grabbed him that he wasn’t going to be a two-way player for long,” James said. To paraphrase, “I’ve been around the game long enough to know great basketball IQ players, and I know the type of players that fit with my game,” and “I knew Austin would be that right away.”
Personal Life of Austin Reaves
Reaves has always loved the Los Angeles Lakers. Reaves is Brian and Nicole Wilkett’s son. His father and mother were also basketball stars at Arkansas State. His father tied for third in programme history with 384 career assists, while his mother averaged 21.3 points per game as a senior to win all-conference honours. Spencer Reaves is a former collegiate and professional basketball player who starred for North Greenville and Central Missouri. Reaves says his passion in basketball began with his sibling.
Since Reaves’ grandmother was born in Germany, so he could apply for and receive a German passport in 2022. He’s interested in joining the German national team now that he’s a naturalised citizen and can compete for them.
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