Tag: Austin Reaves

Pair of former Oklahoma Sooners included in ESPN’s Top 100 NBA Players

Oklahoma saw two former players make the Top 100 players rankings in the NBA, according to ESPN.

With the 2024-2025 NBA season beginning later this month, ESPN took on the annual challenge of ranking the league’s top 100 players coming into the year.

While the Oklahoma Sooners don’t have very many players currently in the league (a total of four on active rosters at this time), OU did see two players make ESPN’s list.

In a bit of a surprise, Los Angeles Lakers guard [autotag]Austin Reaves[/autotag] made the rankings, checking in at No. 71 on the list. The former undrafted free agent enters he fourth season with the Lakers. He was actually ranked all the way up at No. 66 on this list last year.

Coming off an arduous summer playing for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, Reaves took some time to find his groove last season after bursting onto the scene in the 2023 playoffs. His slight slip in NBA Rank mirrors his shooting efficiency from Year 2 (52.9% from the field and 39.8% from 3) to Year 3 (48.6%/36.7%) and L.A.’s abbreviated postseason run after being ousted in the first round, but it fails to recognize Reaves’ improvement as a playmaker and credit him for playing all 82 games. He should be back on the climb after this season. – Dave McMenamin, ESPN

Atlanta Hawks guard [autotag]Trae Young[/autotag] dropped ten spots from his No. 27 ranking last season, landing at No. 37 on this list. He’s been a Hawk for his entire professional career, and has become the team’s franchise player. He enters Year 7 of his NBA career.

Young appearing in only 54 games last season was concerning enough, but Atlanta winning only 22 of those games was even more troubling. His averages of 25.7 points and 10.8 assists sparkle on the stat sheet — marking the second straight season he averaged 25 and 10 — but his relatively pedestrian shooting numbers (43% overall and 37.3% from 3) dulls that shine just a bit. With Dejounte Murray now in New Orleans, Young should get the ball in his hands more. How well Young vibes with No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher will impact his future ranking. – McMenamin, ESPN

Both Reaves and Young played for the great [autotag]Lon Kruger[/autotag] during his excellent tenure in Norman. Young was one of the best players in college basketball during his one season at that level, while Reaves helped the Sooners to their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance and victory, all the way back in 2021.

JJ Redick’s Lakers’ starting lineup shows how far the team has already come since Darvin Ham

These are exactly the five players that the Lakers should have in the starting lineup.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed the starting lineup for his team heading into his first season with the franchise.

During a podcast appearance with his former ESPN colleague Zach Lowe, the longtime NBA sharpshooter said that he already knows the first unit for the Lakers. It includes Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

James and Davis once again proved themselves as two of the best players in the world during the 2024 Paris Olympics, helping lead Team USA to win a gold medal against France. The rest of the starting lineup for Redick is well-suited to complement those two stars.

As noted by Redick, the five players mentioned above went “23-10” during their games together last season.

When he was head coach of the Lakers, per Basketball-Reference.com, Ham did not play this five-man group until January 21. That realization somehow took until more than halfway through the season.

But starting from when this group began playing together, it became one of the best high-volume five-man lineups in the league.

Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 9.46 points per 100 possessions in the 547 minutes that this unit has played alongside one another, via PBPStats. It is a data-backed group that performs well on both sides of the ball.

Redick is making the right choice to put these players together and we can only imagine how much better these past two seasons could have looked if fans saw more of it from Ham.

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Bleacher Report proposes Lakers trade four players for Zach LaVine

A Bleacher Report writer suggested the Lakers make this questionable trade to land two-time All-Star Zach LaVine.

Are the Los Angeles Lakers going to make any moves this offseason? We’re roughly midway through the summer, and yet they haven’t brought in a single player from another team.

Their only newcomers who are on standard contracts are draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. While Knecht, the No. 17 pick in June’s draft, was expected by many to be a top-10 pick and is considered arguably the most NBA-ready incoming rookie, he cannot necessarily be expected to make a sizable impact this coming season.

Just about everyone agrees the Lakers need a two-way wing and a defensive center. Some would also say they need a legitimate third scorer, if not a legitimate third star.

To that end, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggested the Lakers ship out four players in return for the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, a player they’ve been repeatedly been linked to.

Via Bleacher Report:

“The Trade: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls for Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes,” wrote Hughes.

“LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still as good as it gets among NBA duos, and the Lakers can’t go into the 2024-25 season without taking a big swing at supporting them with more high-end talent.

“You’ll notice we didn’t say ‘high-end availability and a demonstrated capacity to drive winning.’ That’s because Zach LaVine, who’s been viewed as something pretty close to trade poison over the last year or so, doesn’t have those things. What he does have is elite scoring skill, as demonstrated by his pair of All-Star nods and 2022-23 average of 24.8 points on a 48.5/37.5/84.8 shooting split.”

LaVine is a somewhat polarizing player. While he is a proven scorer and a pretty efficient one, as Hughes pointed out, it is unclear whether the numbers he puts up can make an impact on a winning team. He has played on a team that finished with a winning record just once — that was in the 2021-22 season when the Bulls won 26 of their first 36 games but lost 15 of their final 22.

Then there is his injury history. He has appeared in over 67 games just once in the last eight seasons, and he played in just 25 games this past season.

If that wasn’t enough, the trade Hughes suggested would leave Los Angeles bereft of frontcourt depth while jettisoning arguably their only effective wing or perimeter defender in Vanderbilt.

Austin Reaves’ AR1 sneakers to drop in ‘Year of the Dragon’ colorway

Yet another colorway of Austin reaves’ signature sneaker from Rigorer will soon be released to the public.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves may not be a true NBA star, but he has attracted a decent following. On a recent trip overseas, he was mobbed by fans, and there is no doubt that his signature sneaker with China-based company Rigorer has helped increase his visibility across the globe.

Rigorer has released Reaves’ signature shoe in several different colorways, and just days from now, another one will drop. This one will honor the “Year of the Dragon,” which is the current year according to the Chinese zodiac. This fifth year of the 12-year Chinese zodiac period supposedly symbolizes luck and success.

Reaves showed some gratitude to his fans overseas for how well his signature AR1 sneaker line has done.

Via Lakers Nation:

“The success of the AR1 line wouldn’t be where it is today without the support of our fans in China,” the Lakers guard said about the latest release. “I am grateful for all the support I receive worldwide and am thrilled to incorporate global cultures and events into my signature line.”

These new kicks will reportedly drop on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Watch: Austin Reaves is mobbed by fans in China

Lakers guard Austin Reaves has become quite a global basketball star.

Basketball has become quite a global game over the last couple of decades. It has resulted in a much more competitive field for Team USA basketball during international play, such as the 2024 Summer Olympics, which are currently taking place in Paris. But more importantly, it has also meant a much wider fan base for the NBA.

Los Angeles Lakers fans were amazed years ago to see the reception the late great Kobe Bryant got when he visited China, a massive nation with over one billion people that was once a dead zone when it came to basketball fandom.

Just days ago, Lakers guard Austin Reaves went to China as part of a tour through Asia with Rigorer, the company that makes his signature sneaker. He was engulfed by fans there who were looking to get his autograph.

While Reaves may never make an NBA All-Star team, a basketball player knows he has truly arrived when he has his own signature sneaker and gets mobbed by fans in foreign countries as Reaves has.

Austin Reaves wants to gain upper-body muscle this summer

Lakers guard Austin Reaves says he wants to add some weight and strength to his bod this offseason.

In three NBA seasons, Austin Reaves has become a good player. This past season, he increased his scoring, rebounding and assist averages, and he was the Los Angeles Lakers’ only player not named LeBron James or Anthony Davis to play well in their first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets.

But many have found out that he is a lackluster defender. One problem he has on that end of the floor is the lack of next-level strength needed to fend off bigger wings he has to guard. That lack of strength can also create limitations for Reaves on offense.

Thus, he wants to gain a little weight and strength in his upper body going into the 2024-25 season.

Via Lakers Nation:

“I think the first thing is getting a little stronger upper body,” Reaves told Lakers Nation. “Lower body’s good and like you said last year I didn’t have that opportunity to take that full summer to really hit the weights and put on muscle up top really. That’s really I think all that I need.

“Going into my exit meetings, me and Rob talked about that and that was one thing that he wanted me to do was gain five or so pounds up top. Playing defense that helps and obviously getting around the basket, bumping people off it gives you opportunities to create more and-ones. That’s really the main thing, but other than that I just love basketball and I love sharpening my game in any way that I can. I want to get better all around.”

Perhaps Reaves will never be an NBA All-Star. But he can still round out his game and become a better all-around player.

He does seem enthused about new Lakers head coach JJ Redick. He called Redick a basketball genius, while Aaron Reilly, his agent, said Redick will “show a different part” of his game.

Former Sooner Alondes Williams throws down monster dunk in Summer League

Williams spent two seasons in Norman before transferring to Wake Forest.

Former Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball player [autotag]Alondes Williams[/autotag] is making quite the impression on the NBA this summer.

The former OU guard is taking part in the NBA2K Summer League as a member of the Miami Heat. He threw down perhaps the dunk of the summer in Las Vegas on Wednesday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

10/10, no notes.

Williams played two seasons for the Sooners from 2019 to 2021. He was a member of the last OU men’s basketball team to win a game in the [autotag]NCAA tournament,[/autotag] as Oklahoma made it to the second round in 2021, [autotag]Lon Kruger[/autotag]’s final season.

The combo guard transferred to Wake Forest for his final season of college basketball before going undrafted in 2022. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Miami Heat. Plays like that could help him catch on in the league.

Williams is trying to become the fourth active Sooner in the NBA after [autotag]Blake Griffin[/autotag]’s retirement earlier this year. [autotag]Buddy Hield[/autotag] (Warriors), [autotag]Trae Young[/autotag] (Hawks) and [autotag]Austin Reaves[/autotag] (Lakers) are the other three.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Austin Reaves teases Warriors fan wearing Klay Thompson jersey

While at the American Century Championship golf tournament, Lakers guard Austin Reaves had some fun at the expense of a Warriors fan.

It is well known by now that Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is an avid golfer. He has become so confident in his skills on the links that he decided to try his hand at the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament taking place near Lake Tahoe.

The competition began on Wednesday, and although Reaves struggled in the first round, he shot a 71 in the second round.

Along the way, he found a way to have a little bit of fun while flashing his allegiance to the Purple and Gold. He saw a Golden State Warriors fan wearing a Klay Thompson jersey, and he told that fan he “might have to throw that jersey in the lake.”

Thompson, of course, left the Warriors to join the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks just days ago in a sign-and-trade deal. The Warriors’ dynasty, which had been on life support for the last year or two, is now officially dead, as the team lost a major lynchpin of its four NBA championship squads over the past decade.

Austin Reaves’ signature sneakers will be released in tribute to his family

China-based Rigorer is releasing Austin Reaves’ signature sneakers in a new colorway that is dedicated to his family.

Sometimes, family members talk people out of going after their biggest dreams and goals in life. But for some, their family members are their biggest backers as they go after such dreams and goals.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is already an inspiring underdog story. Hailing from Newark — not the urban Newark in New Jersey, but Newark, Ark., with a population of slightly over 1,000 — he wasn’t on anyone’s radar through high school and college. But he rose to prominence after the Lakers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022, and he became entrenched as a starter in just his second season with them.

That strong sophomore campaign helped him land a signature sneaker with China-based Rigorer. The company is set to release it in a new colorway entitled “Family Ties,” but it has nothing to do with the popular 1980s sitcom that starred Michael J. Fox.

This iteration of his shoe will pay tribute to his family, especially both of his grandmothers.

Via Lakers Nation:

“The only reason I am in this position today is because of my family and the upbringing they gave me. From watching basketball with my grandmas to training with my brother, they believed in me from the start, and I am proud to have a release dedicated to them,” said Austin Reaves when discussing his new release.

This new sneaker will drop this Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Los Angeles time.

Sources: Lakers are unwilling to trade Austin Reaves

Are the Lakers overvaluing guard Austin Reaves?

The 2024 NBA Draft is now underway, and the question surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers is whether they will make some sort of significant move, whether it comes today or within a few more days.

Plenty of star and near-star players have been linked to the Lakers, and one of them is Dejounte Murray. They made a real effort to land Murray via trade prior to February’s trade deadline, but talks with the Atlanta Hawks eventually died out.

It is believed one reason those talks were fruitless was because of L.A.’s unwillingness to include guard Austin Reaves in a potential deal. Reportedly, nothing has changed in that regard.

Via The Athletic:

“Murray, meanwhile, was a player that the Lakers could have had at the February trade deadline if they’d been willing to put Reaves into the deal,” wrote Sam Amick. “He’s a possibility now, as well, but league sources say the Lakers’ stance on Reaves remains the same.”

Murray could be the backcourt upgrade the Lakers need without costing them an arm and a leg. He had a terrific 2023-24 season, averaging a career-high 22.5 points, as well as 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists a game. He also improved his outside shooting and made 36.3% of his attempts from 3-point range this year.

The 27-year-old was an All-Star during the 2021-22 season. While Reaves is certainly a good player, he likely won’t ever make an All-Star team, and the Lakers shouldn’t overvalue him on the trade market.