Rookie guard Austin Reaves was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disastrous season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Originally signed as an undrafted rookie, many thought he would bounce back and forth between the NBA and G League as a project player. Instead, he spent all of his time with the big league Lakers while showing tremendous potential as a solid, multi-faceted role player.
He ended his season with a tremendous performance on the road versus the Denver Nuggets, putting up 31 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to spark a come-from-behind win.
During an exclusive interview with Lakers Nation, he said he’s not sure yet if he will play in this year’s summer league to prepare for the season.
Via Lakers Nation:
“‘I’m not 100% sure yet. That’s really about the most honest answer I can give you,’ he told Lakers Nation.
“Reaves considers the Summer League as a major learning experience that helped him get ready for his rookie year. Hence, the 24-year-old will treat each game as if he was playing in the NBA in case he ends up going to Las Vegas.
“‘I feel like I’ve always got something to prove,’ Reaves said. ‘So, if I go and play, I’m going to play it like I play every other game. But last year, Summer League was fun. It gave me a perspective of really just the physicality of the game, the speed of the game. Last year, that helped a lot moving into my rookie year.
“‘Like I said, if I go back and play this year, which is possible, I’m going to play it like every other game. Like it’s just a regular-season game, just try to do the right things on the basketball court.'”