Austin Reaves

Reaves is an American guard who built an NBA rotation role with the Los Angeles Lakers after going undrafted in 2021 and declining a second-round selection by the Detroit Pistons. His path to the league included multiple high school state championships in Arkansas, shoulder surgeries during his early college years, a productive redshirt junior season at Oklahoma, and a senior campaign that landed him on the All-Big 12 First Team. He has developed into a steady contributor for the Lakers, capable of game-winning shots and triple-doubles.

Born on May 29, 1998, in Newark, Arkansas, Reaves attended Cedar Ridge High School. He won back-to-back Class 2A state titles in his first two seasons and later led the program to a Class 3A state championship as a senior, averaging 32.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He scored 73 points in a triple-overtime win over Forrest City High School and was named MVP of the state tournament after averaging 43.3 points across four games. He was a two-time Class 3A All-State selection. On January 20, 2016, he committed to Wichita State.

Reaves entered Wichita State with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he had played through since high school. He averaged 4.1 points as a freshman reserve, then underwent surgery on his right shoulder after the season. The right shoulder had dislocated three times during his college career. As a sophomore, he averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds, shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. He made seven three-pointers in the first half against Tulsa on January 28, 2018, the most in a half in program history.

After his sophomore season, Reaves transferred to Oklahoma and sat out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. During the redshirt year, he gained 20 pounds through strength training. As a redshirt junior, he averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists and was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. On March 7, 2020, he scored a career-high 41 points, including the game-winning shot with 0.5 seconds remaining, in a 19-point comeback win over TCU. As a senior, he averaged 18.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. He scored 27 points in a second-round NCAA tournament loss to Gonzaga and posted a senior season-high of 32 points, nine assists, and six rebounds against TCU. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft on March 31.

Reaves went undrafted in 2021 but reportedly declined the Detroit Pistons 42nd overall selection in favor of signing a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 3, 2021. He was converted to a standard NBA contract on September 27. He made his NBA debut on October 22, scoring eight points against the Phoenix Suns. On December 15, 2021, he scored 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and hit a game-winning three-pointer in a 107–104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2021–22 season finale on April 10, he recorded his first career triple-double with 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 146–141 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets.

Reaves is a crafty guard with a high basketball IQ, reliable shooting, and underrated playmaking. He creates space with subtle hesitations and changes of pace, and he has extended his range to become a credible three-point threat. His pick-and-roll decision-making improved at Oklahoma and has translated to the NBA, where he reads defenses and delivers accurate passes to rolling big men and corner shooters. Defensively, he relies on positioning, anticipation, and toughness rather than elite athleticism. He has also shown the ability to absorb contact and finish at the rim despite a slender frame.

Reaves enters the 2025–26 season as a Los Angeles Lakers guard with a proven capacity for clutch shot-making and all-around production. His path from small-town Arkansas high school basketball through Wichita State shoulder surgeries, an Oklahoma redshirt year, and an undrafted free-agent gamble on Los Angeles illustrates a career built on skill, persistence, and timely offensive contributions at each level.