My journey going pro was not normal. Wasn’t highly recruited out of high school. I only had a couple, you know, scholarship offers. I played one year AAOU. I walk on the court and everybody be like, I got the white boy. I’m like, it’s going to be hell. Coming up with Oh, Reese.
See if Reys has some ups. He does. He’s a Terminator on the glass. Re and the foul NCA tournament on the national stage as Reeves is able to man if you go back and you watch a couple of his games at Oklahoma he got some [ __ ] with him. I was like hold up man. I mean look at Timmy guarding Reeds. Reeds gets past him, attacks and one. You got to have a guy like Reeves that can make that type of pass.
You know that year, his first year, we had Russ, we had Carmelo, we had Trevor, we had a we had all these veterans on our team, right? We had our mini camp. Austin Reeves was the best player in the gym. Final seconds out to Reeves. Three-pointer. Hey, Reeves. I’m here. I’m here. I can’t really take those shortcuts or rely on my athleticism.
I’ve got to use every single possession to my advantage. Goes away from the screen, puts on the deck, and hits the shot. I haven’t taken shortcuts. This is honestly I’ve kind of ran around the world to get here. I did everything I possibly could. I sacrificed a lot. Reco has become the greatest undrafted NBA player ever.
Just 20 minutes west of nearby Batesville, Arkansas, Newark isn’t home to much. It’s a small town of less than 1,200 people and doesn’t often find itself in the news. But around a decade ago, a young kid by the name of Austin Reeves began making noise across the state. And little did people know that one day he’d put his hometown on the map. It’s been a great story.
Um, honestly, and I only played one year AAOU, so I wasn’t really, you know, into basketball like that. I played baseball more so growing up. Um, but both my parents played at Arkansas State. My brother plays in Germany now. Um, and I remember being probably eighth grade and him dragging me to the gym because I think he seen something in me that I didn’t even see.
I was wanting to go hang out with my friends and uh run around and do stupid [ __ ] to be honest. Um, but he was making me go to the gym, get up, you know, 500 shots a day, play oneonone all day. And I think it just um he instilled something in me that I knew I was going to have to do and it was work harder than everybody else.
And my journey’s been uh nothing less than, you know, uh intriguing, honestly, just because, you know, not many people make it um from where I’m from. It wouldn’t take long for the hard work to reveal itself on the court. As from the time he suited up for Cedar Ridge High School as a freshman, Austin would immediately begin putting together one of the most decorated careers in state history.
In his four years on varsity, the younger Reeves brother would help his team win three state championships, including a senior campaign that saw Austin drop 32 points per game on his way to all state honors. Between dropping 73 points in a single game and averaging over 43 points per game in the state tournament, the legend of Austin Reeves had quickly spread across the state of Arkansas.
No, but still on the loose ball coming up with Oh, Reese. See if Reeves has some ups. He does. This video is made in partnership with Kashi, a place where you can trade on what you predict is going to happen in sports. Since we’re talking about my guy Austin Reeves and the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m looking at the Lakers markets available, like predicting the number of games the Lakers will win this season.
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And one of my favorite parts is you actually can trade in and out without having to worry about getting limited just because you’re winning. If you want to try it, go to kowshi.com/tr and use my code tric and Koshi will give you $20 when you trade $20. Thanks again to Koshi for partnering with me on this video. Despite being one of the top players in the state, coming from a small 3A school and not having the benefit of playing years of AAOU meant that there weren’t as many eyes on Austin’s game from a national level, something that Reeves would have to come to terms with early on.
Uh I sacrificed a lot of, you know, going out partying. Um, that wasn’t really what I did when, you know, even when I was 10th, 11th grade. I was always in the gym. So, and that’s what, like I said, my brother taught me was, you know, you’re from a town of 1,200 people. You know, the school’s really little, didn’t play AU.
So you got to you got to work way way harder than everybody else is cuz everybody else, you know, from big big cities, you know, getting notoriety, even, you know, if my skill level is just as good as theirs, it’s not going to matter. Um, so I sacrificed a lot of, you know, social events to go hang out with with my friends and and have fun, but I only had probably three or four scholarship offers.
Um, I think I averaged 32 my senior year, like 8 and five, and it was it was crickets. Uh, like besides other than I think it was like Witchaw State, South Dakota State, Arkansas State finally offered. Um, but they were going through a coaching change. Austin would decide to attend Witchah State University, a program that was just three years removed from a Final Four appearance, but would see his freshman season plagued with a nagging right shoulder injury.
In the off season, Reeves would elect to have surgery on a torn labroom in hopes of fixing the issue. And by his sophomore season, Austin was ready to take on a bigger role for the Shockers. He’s a Terminator on the glass. Reeds and a foul. Chance at a four-point play. Here’s Reeds. They left him open. Another number three. Yes. Seven triples. Time out.
Following two seasons as a role player at Witchah State, Austin was determined to not only make the move to a power five conference, but proved that he was capable of a larger contribution at the NCAA level. An opportunity that would come from a school just one state below. Uh so we had played Oklahoma the two years uh when I was at Witchah State and uh Coach Krueger is a a players coach.
Uh that was basically the opposite of what I had at Witchaw State. So I was looking to go somewhere that I was able to kind of be more myself instead of uh you know really like that plug plug and play like glue guy that you know figures it out. You can do multiple different things. So, I was just trying to get to a situation where, you know, I could be more myself and um really just hoop.
Honestly, having to red shirt his first year in Norman due to NCAA transfer rules, it wouldn’t take long for Austin to prove to the Sooner basketball staff that not only was he destined to be one of their best players, but he may be the school’s next NBA talent. When I transferred, uh, I think we played pickup in the summer a couple times and I was killing.
Uh, one of the assistant coaches had called, uh, one of my guys helped me get recruited and was like, basically, you undersshould him like he’s better than what you said. And he was like, are you complaining? He was like, no, no, no, no. We’re good. 60 seconds to go. Reeves from deep. But the fact that it keeps hanging over the NCA tournament on the national stage as Reeves is able to get that. So Reeves with Sims steps back.
Uh I was walking out to the parking lot and coach Krueger was walking out behind me and he stopped me and he was like I I think you could be a a first round pick after uh cuz I red shirted one year and then then I was like damn like this man seen a lot of basketball, coached a lot of players. Um so once he said it it kind of you know was reality guarding Reed and one on the block.
Don’t step back on this kid. That’s why Luba keeps going to him. And Reeds attacking again. Seven Baylor turnovers. Has 39. They got to go. They’re taking too long. Reeds for the win. Got it. In his two years at Oklahoma, Reeves would start all 56 games, averaging a career-high 18 points and 4.6 assists per game as a senior. on his way to all Big 12 honors.
Austin’s crafty game and aggressive play style had earned him respect on the hardwood in one of the country’s toughest conferences. And with a new confidence in his game, Reeves would elect to take on a new challenge, declaring for the 2021 NBA draft. Despite being projected as a late second round pick, Austin and his camp received word prior to draft night that the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in signing him to a two-way deal should he go undrafted. Information that led to Reeves holding out from getting
drafted in hopes of finding himself in a better situation on the West Coast. There was a really high interest going into the draft that if I didn’t get drafted that, uh, LA was wanting me on a two-way. And so, kind of going into the draft, uh, you know, my agents did a really good job of like laying everything out.
I didn’t have to press and I didn’t have to, you know, if someone called it like I think it was Detroit called 42 and was like, “We’ll take him on a two-way.” uh didn’t have to like jump on that opportunity because I knew like a better situation uh was was kind of already on the table.
Um so I think that happened a couple times in the draft like in the 40s and the 50s and you know as as sad it was as it was to not hear my name called like feel like we did the right thing. Honestly, one of the one of the biggest factors into all of it was was actually LeBron.
like it was someone that I knew and my agents knew that we would connect on a on a um IQ level of basketball. Originally signed to a two-way deal with the Lakers, a strong summer league performance would be enough to convince Los Angeles to sign Austin to a standard NBA contract prior to the start of the regular season.
This meant that Reeves had now earned the trust of the team’s front office. But earning the trust of his new Hall of Famebound teammates would be the bigger challenge. So we did like Braun has a mini camp every year the the weekend before training camp starts.
And we went to Vegas and I remember first one at the gym, but everybody starts piling in. You know, you see Russ, you see AD, Braun, Dwight, uh, who else we have? Melo, Rondo, and then you had on top of that, you had guys that have been in the league 10 plus years. So, everybody was basically solidified, and they didn’t have to do anything else for their career.
I remember we were doing just a basic five on drill and Brian drove a baseline and threw me a dart to the corner and it was literally all slow motion. Like the first thing that popped in my head was like please catch it like just catch the ball and the second was so it’s in the corner left corner I remember and next was like just don’t hit the backboard I don’t care if you he hit rim don’t hit the side of the backboard don’t care if you miss it just don’t don’t hit the backboard uh so I shot it and I’m like it felt horrible but it went all net and I was it was just a big sigh of
relief I was like we’re going to we’re going to get through this all right thank god Bron had the mini camp. Uh cuz you know, none of the coaches were really there. Um and that was basically my time to to get all the butterflies away. Uh like I said earlier, the the pass he made me that whole day was a little iffy. Uh the next day was a lot better.
And then when we got into training camp, it was just it came down to hooping. So that’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. The first time I I met Austin, um, he was playing for our summer league team. I had never really I had never met him, but I saw clips of him playing in college. So, people think this is just now, man. If you go back and you watch a couple of his games at Oklahoma, he got some [ __ ] with him.
Like, he back then, I was like, “Hold up, man.” Just the chip on his shoulder. when summer league was over and I had a chance to get in the gym with him right away. I saw it and it wasn’t so much u his skill or shot making.
It was just his inner belief like that kid had had a superb chip on his shoulder, man. And people people don’t really know like his story. He went through summer league, you know, that year, his first year, we had Russ, we had Carmelo, we had Trevor Re, we had a we had all these veterans on our team, right? And that was, you know, we had our little Braun has his little camp in Vegas. We had our mini camp.
Austin Reeves was the best player in the gym. He was the best player in the gym. And he started out as a two-way. When that camp was over, the Lakers signed him. Leading into his rookie season, there weren’t many expectations for Reeves to be a large part of the rotation. But as the season got off to a slow start for the Lakers, Austin was more than ready for his opportunity. I got a DMP the first game.
I think I think we played Golden State actually. Uh they smacked us by like 30 and I think it was my first career ever DMP. So I was like I was tweaking afterwards. I was I didn’t know how to act. I I looked at my agents and was like, “Y’all y’all win this history tonight.” Like, this was my first one. Um, and I didn’t know, you know, how that was going to go um from there on out.
Um, but game two, I think we were playing Phoenix and I think we were getting beat by like 25 at the end of the third and coach was like, “Awesome, go like start the fourth, whatever.” And I think we went on like a 150 run. Kind of made it a game late. Not really. It was a little too late. But uh after that I was I was in rotation basically the whole year.
I had a little couple DMPS late but uh it was it was exciting. Like I said I I always figured out a way to you know fill the fill the gaps that we uh needed to be filled. Um obviously we didn’t win like we wanted to last year but um for me it was it was a really good season from that injury. Reed in traffic and wow wider for the Lakers. Oh Reed now you see him now you don’t. Westbrook final seconds out to Reed three-pointer.
Hey Reed gives him a three-point lead with 9/10 of a second remaining as gets right past. Oh what a block by Reeves. Ellington. Austin Reeves all the way throw it up and in. Austin Reeves putting mine skates. Following a rookie campaign that had seen him play in 61 games, starting 19. Austin had carved himself a role in the rotation courtesy of his IQ and timely scoring touch.
This proved that he had what it takes to play solid minutes at the NBA level. However, heading into year two, Reeves was ready to prove that he was capable of an even larger role with the Lakers. You know, I spent a lot of time in the gym. Uh I was here basically the whole summer. Uh went home for probably uh 3 weeks or so and then was back.
Um, but was in the weight room a lot and then like you said, you know, just working on a lot of catch and shoot stuffs and then, you know, everything else, you know, just trying to get better all in all. Um, but I’m super excited for for the season to start. Oh, reach. What did we do? My goodness. I know what we just saw.
Austin Reed skips into the front court. Here he goes to the ground. The fake the turns the shot the score. What an acrobatic move by Austin Reeves. Eddie Reeves inside. Oh pain on his knees like it was pregame charters out there for the Bucks. Reeves three. Happens. We end up dressing like one another once in a while. Oh, he did too small. Oh, he did.
Austin’s 2023 season has been one of growth for the former undrafted rookie turned starting guard. Under the lights in LA, Reeves has become a reliable offensive piece. So much so that over the last 20 games of the regular season, he averaged over 16 points per game, including a careerhigh 35point outburst in a win over Orlando. Now you see why he’s a crowd favorite.
This success would carry over into the postseason where in his NBA playoff debut, Reeves would step up big under the national spotlight, helping the Lakers upset the higher seated Grizzlies in game one on the road. Hima kicks it out to an open Reeves for three. Puts it in as the shot clock expires. Reeves fakes. Reeves behind the back. Himaura three-pointer. puts it in lead. Grizzlies trying to win without Moran. Reeds a three.
Reeves 21 points, three assists. Gets inside. Off balance jumper. Got it. Out here. Out here. Austin Reeves in his first playoff game. He’s got 23. Fresh off the momentum of his breakout season with LA. Austin would finally earn stability in the summer of 2023, the Lakers would resign Reeves to a 4-year, $54 million contract, firmly cementing him in their plans for the future.
As the off season continued, yet another opportunity would present itself, and this time it would come on the international stage. My first initial reaction was there’s no way I could say no to it. Just a special, you know, maybe once in a lifetime opportunity. And for me to be able to, you know, put the USA across my chest and, you know, represent the country was it’s something I couldn’t say no to.
Austin would earn a spot with Team USA for the 2023 FEA World Cup, becoming only the third undrafted player ever to be selected to the national team. It was yet another opportunity for him to prove those who had overlooked him wrong. And now the stage was set for the world to see. Look at Ree goes behind his back. Oh, boys. There’s Ree steps back, puts it up. Good.
Re going to take on Shay Gilis Alexander puts it up and scores. Wow. Heading into the 2023 24 season, the circumstances around Austin had changed once again. The expectations for Reeves were no longer the lovable underdog. He was now a major piece of one of basketball’s most iconic franchises. The surprise factor was gone. The league had film on him now with opposing defenses more aware of his game.
But for Reeves, the mission stayed the same. Continued to prove that his rise was no fluid. Smith can’t connect and Reeves comes flying in. Reeves with 239 clocks moving here. The first Rainbow. Yes sir. Regroup. You need a bucket right here. Reeves deep. Reeves goes away from the screen, puts K on the deck and hits the shot.
The league’s new inseason tournament, the NBA Cup, would provide Reeves and the Lakers with a new opportunity to bring a trophy home to the West Coast. LA had found their stride at the perfect time. And in the tournament’s championship game, Austin would once again show he was built for the game’s biggest moments. Reeds stops, pulls up, shot is good. Oo, and a from the Laker crowd here.
Through the ups and downs of the regular season, Reeves appeared in all 82 games for Los Angeles, becoming the only Laker to do so that year. His production would once again elevate, now averaging over 15 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. I’m obsessed with just basketball in general. The beauty is you’ll never completely perfect it.
You can always work on something individually, skill-wise, and then teamwise, you can always get better in some aspect. As the next chapter of Austin’s career began in the 2025 season, a now established Reeves continued pushing his game forward. What had once started as timely scoring and smart decision-making was now growing into something even bigger. Austin Reeves was no longer a glue guy for the Lakers.
The now rising star was becoming one of the players helping drive the entire franchise. Oh, falling out of his hand. Austin freaking Reeves of the Los Angeles Lakers doing things that blow me away night after night. Spin Rebecc has it. 5 seconds to go. Reeves on the drive inside Lamb.
He backs it in with one second remaining. AR board. Look at that hesitation move. What a change of pace. I can’t really take those shortcuts or rely on my athleticism. I’ve got to use every single possession to my advantage. And a lot of that goes mentally, too. Being a step ahead of everybody, knowing every coverage, every play.
I found something within every year that I could do to help our team be successful to a point where I’m in a good position and someone that, you know, the team relies on. Austin Reeds, the point guard who is having a career year. Now standing firm in his role as one of the go-to options for the Lakers, Austin was showing that his offensive ceiling had become much higher than many imagined when he first entered the league.
He would score a career-high 38 points in January, only to surpass it a month later with a 45point outburst against the Pacers. He does. Reeves again, weaving through traffic, banking it in. 41 points for Reeves. Back to our breaking news here on Sports Center. Massive trade happening in the NBA right now. In February of 2025, the Los Angeles Lakers would pull off one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, sending centerpiece Anthony Davis to the Mavericks for global star Luca Donuch.
The addition of Luca alongside Reeves and LeBron would create a new trio out west. And despite the new firepower, Austin would be given the green light to continue his onball dominance for the Lakers. Count it. Austin Reeves has done it again. Junior getting some time with all these injuries. Oh, throwing it up. He’s been incredible. Reeves has stepped up in every moment in which they’ve need him.
He has become the third guy that they need. and on a given night could be the gospel by Reeves. Behind the back he goes offense going to come from Reeves on the step back unguarded. Count the basket and a foul. 2025 would see Reeves make yet another massive leap in production. This time eclipsing 20 points per game for the season.
His game had reached new heights and with it so had his notoriety in the league. It’s one thing to perform at a high level under the bright lights of the NBA, but it’s another to do it for the Los Angeles Lakers. Austin Reeves has become the greatest undrafted NBA player ever. Now with five, with four, with three, Austin down the middle, he goes to win the game. to win the game.
AR with the winner. Hello Austin has got it again. Pull off. We have another. Give me another. He’s cooking. Same thing, right? Absolutely. Here’s Reeds all the way. Scores. What else is new? I just think AR has picked up exactly where he left off of. Um confidence and the 14th assist for Austin Reeves. understanding that his role is going to continue to pick up more usage rate, you know, more responsibility.
Um, he’s not just one of the guys, he’s one of the guy, you know, on our on our on our team and he wants that responsibility. So, you know, we, you know, I think the coaches staff and JJ knew it wasn’t too farfetched to give him more responsibility and he’s just taking full advantage of it. Reach on the drive. He puts it out. It’s good. It’s good. ties the game with 1.9 remaining.
The 2026 season has seen Austin Reeves climb to a height that very few outside of the state of Arkansas ever dreamed he could reach. What once looked like an improbable feel-good story has now turned into sustained production with Reeves continuing to grow into one of the brightest stars in the NBA. reads the four with three to shoot. Throws it up and in.
In a road win over Sacramento, Austin delivered the first 50point game of his career, becoming only the third undrafted player in NBA history to accomplish the feat. As his game has continued to grow, so has the production of the kid from Arkansas. through the 2026 season. So far, Reeves has averaged nearly 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game. A statline that rivals some of the best in the NBA.
His status as one of the game’s most crafty scorers has been all but cemented this season. And at just 27 years old, the basketball world can’t wait to see what’s coming next. Win a championship. That’s been, you know, the one thing I’ve wanted to do since uh, you know, being becoming a Laker. Uh, you know, I grew up a Lakers fan. I grew up a Kobe fan and, you know, watched all those finals runs and, uh, just to be able to put this jersey on and have an opportunity to, you know, help this organization try to compete for a championship is
the main thing. You know, I believe all, you know, individual, you know, success comes from team success. So therefore, if you’re winning at the highest level, then, you know, all that individual stuff is is going to come. Um, but you had to win at a high level to, you know, have that happen. The story of Austin Reeves is one of perseverance and dedication.
Taking the road less traveled, he’s established himself as a key player for one of the most historic franchises in sports. Something that seemed unthinkable growing up in a small town. You know how it goes. Like if you try to take shortcuts and, you know, mess with the game a little bit, it it it doesn’t end up well for you.
So, it was more so just do the right things uh on and off the court. And then other than that, just believe in yourself. I definitely got a lot of a lot of for, you know, chasing my dream. Um, but like you said, I I just wanted to to make it and then look back when I did and basically throw the middle finger up and move on. Austin Reeves journey is just another example of how no matter the location or the circumstances where there’s a ball, a dream, and a dedication to the game, then even a kid from a small town in Arkansas can have the chance to shine for the world to see. Davis,
final seconds. Reeves, it’ll count. Oh, he puts it in from half Florida at the buzzer.
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
