The Los Angeles Lakers have developed a reputation over the years of drafting well as they’ve unearthed several gems.
The Lakers’ biggest win might be Austin Reaves, who signed with the team after going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. Reaves impressed the organization almost immediately, and his two-way contract was converted to a standard NBA one.
Reaves would go on to secure a four-year deal with Los Angeles and is considered one of the best success stories in the league. With the 2024 NBA Draft quickly approaching, prospects like Bronny James are hoping to make the same sort of impact that Reaves has had so far.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard is considered one of the best prospects in this year’s draft and has been compared to Reaves. Sheppard revealed the two have been in contact and called Reaves a player he admires, via Stadium:
“Yeah, it’s really cool. It’s really cool being compared to an NBA player especially at the beginning of your college career because that’s what you want to be eventually is an NBA player. And it’s funny they say Austin because Austin actually has reached out to me multiple times. He reached out to me during the season and hollered at me so it was pretty cool. He’s a really good dude. I’ve got to know him a little bit, we text every now and then so hearing that is pretty cool for me just cause I know how good of a player he is and watching him play is really cool knowing that people also kind of compare me to him and he’s someone that I like to watch and I look up to.”
It’s cool to hear that Reaves is reaching out to players like Sheppard who are in the midst of the pre-draft process and should speak to the Lakers’ guards growing popularity.
While the two have some similarities in their game, Sheppard is a smaller guard who defends well and can knock down open threes while Reaves is more of a natural ball-handler and secondary playmaker.
Sheppard is expected to hear his name called early in the draft, and it’ll be exciting to see him face off against Reaves for the first time next season.
Rich Paul believes Lakers should look at Bronny James as any other NBA Draft prospect
Bronny James has been heavily linked to the Lakers throughout the draft process because of his dad, but his agent Rich Paul believes the franchise should look at him like any other prospect.
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