Since coming to the Los Angeles Lakers as an undrafted free agent, Austin Reaves has developed a close bond and relationship with LeBron James.
Reaves earned James’ and the rest of the team’s respect with his gritty two-way play and versatility, and their connection on the floor truly blossomed in the 2022-23 season. The duo, along with Anthony Davis, powered Los Angeles to the Western Conference Finals and are poised to make another deep playoff run in the 2023-24 campaign.
The 25-year-old guard has been busy this summer playing for Team USA in the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup and is drawing praise from James for his performances. Reaves has been thankful for James’ kind words and is another example of how close the two have gotten.
In an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Reaves discussed his relationship with James and acknowledged him as the greatest player of all time:
“In my personal opinion, even being a Kobe Bryant guy, I think [James] is the greatest player to ever play. You could make an argument, but I think how good he is at all facets of the game. I don’t think anybody’s ever been that good at everything. So I think he’s the greatest player ever.”
There certainly haven’t been many players like James who have come through the league, and the Lakers superstar has one of the most impressive resumes ever. With his long list of accolades and personal records, James has one of the strongest GOAT cases that even his most staunch haters can’t deny.
Reaves has some obvious bias as his teammate, but the fact remains that James is undoubtedly on the short list for GOAT. With the King set to return to the storied franchise for at least one more season, he can really cement his legacy if he’s able to lead them to banner No. 18.
Austin Reaves never stopped believing himself even after going undrafted
Reaves had the opportunity to go in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft but opted for undrafted free agency so he could land with the Lakers. The move was a prudent one as he got a chance to contribute early on in his career and eventually got paid a handsome extension this past offseason.
The track record of undrafted players succeeding in the NBA isn’t great, so it makes Reaves’ story all the more enjoyable for fans. It takes a good amount of confidence to make it in the league and Reaves revealed he never stopped believing in himself.
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