Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves had been a hidden gem among the fanbase for the better part of his first two seasons with the team. But towards the end of his sophomore campaign, he began getting nationwide recognition and is now poised to break out as a bona fide third option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham already went out on a limb with Reaves to say that his third season could see him land his first All-Star selection. It’s a bold claim — the type of claim Ham is known for with his players — but one that may not be too far away from reality.
Reaves was an efficient and effective scorer at three levels last season, played quality defense and fought through a wall in the middle of the season to post legitimate NBA starter-level numbers in a deep postseason run. There’s not much more to be asked of a potential All-Star candidate.
And it appears Reaves might agree with Ham’s sentiment, as the Team USA and Lakers guard believes that an All-Star selection could be in the cards for him sooner rather than later, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic:
“I personally think it’s possible just for myself,” he said. “There’s probably not many people out there that do.”
Reaves is still fighting the burden of draft day bias. Oftentimes, when a player is drafted could determine the way they’re viewed on a national scale, the number of chances they get to prove themselves, and what they have to accomplish to be seen as an All-Star.
There’s no doubt that being an undrafted rookie is giving Reaves a harder starting point. But going from undrafted to All-Star is not completely unprecedented.
Five players in NBA history have made that leap: Connie Hawkins, John Starks, Brad Miller, Ben Wallace and Fred VanVleet. If Reaves wants to become the sixth, he’ll have to hit the ground running when he returns for his third season, likely now as a full-time starter in the Lakers lineup.
Reaves ‘much better than expected’ with Team USA
Until he gets the All-Star appearance he’s seeking, he still has some work to do to prove himself on a national scale. He has helped himself tremendously with his performance for Team USA at the World Cup. He has already garnered some attention, with some reportedly saying that he’s been the surprise of the roster with how well he’s played.