Austin Reaves: From College Standout to NBA Star

Austin Tyler Reaves (born May 29, 1998) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His journey to the NBA was paved with impressive performances in college basketball, where he showcased his versatility and scoring prowess for both the Wichita State Shockers and the Oklahoma Sooners.

Early Life and High School Career

Reaves attended Cedar Ridge High School in Newark, Arkansas, where he quickly established himself as a dominant player. He led his team to back-to-back Class 2A state titles in his first two years, demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure from an early age.

During his senior year, Reaves averaged an impressive 32.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. That year, he led his team to a Class 3A state title. His outstanding performance throughout the state tournament earned him the MVP award, averaging 43.3 points across four games. His high school achievements led to him being a two-time Class 3A All-State selection. Notably, he once scored 73 points in a triple-overtime victory against Forrest City High School, illustrating his scoring ability.

College Career

Wichita State Shockers (2016-2018)

Entering his freshman season at Wichita State, Reaves was already dealing with a significant physical challenge. He underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he had been playing through since his junior year of high school. Despite this, he appeared in 66 games with 11 starts for the Shockers. As a freshman, he played in a reserve role, averaging 4.1 points per game.

After his freshman season, he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which had dislocated three times during his college career, causing him to miss games.

During his sophomore year, on January 28, 2018, Reaves posted a season-high 23 points along with four assists in a 90-71 victory over Tulsa. In that game, he set a school record by making seven three-pointers in the first half. He averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 21.5 minutes per game, with a 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio. He ranked fourth in the American Athletic Conference in three-point percentage (.425), hitting 54-of-127.

Oklahoma Sooners (2019-2021)

After his sophomore season, Reaves transferred to Oklahoma. Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the following season. During this redshirt year, he focused on physical development, gaining 20 pounds (9.1 kg) through weight training.

On March 7, 2020, Reaves showcased his scoring ability with a career-high 41 points, along with six assists and five rebounds, in a 78-76 win over TCU. He led a 19-point second-half comeback and made the game-winning shot with just 0.5 seconds remaining.

As a redshirt junior, Reaves averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and three assists per game. He was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team for his impressive performance. On December 6, he posted a senior season-high 32 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in an 82-78 win against TCU. In the second round of the NCAA tournament, Reaves scored 27 points in an 87-71 loss to top-seeded Gonzaga.

During his senior year, Reaves averaged 18.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors. He also led the Big 12 in free throws made and became the first player to ever lead Oklahoma in points, rebounds, and assists.

Read also: Understanding UT Austin GPA

NBA Career

Los Angeles Lakers (2021-Present)

After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Reaves signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 3, 2021. On September 27, he was signed to a standard NBA contract.

Reaves made his NBA debut on October 22, scoring eight points off the bench in a 115-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns. On March 19, 2023, Reaves scored a then career-high 35 points with six rebounds and six assists off the bench in a 111-105 win against the Orlando Magic, in which he scored the final 10 points for the Lakers. In March 2023, Reaves signed a signature shoe deal with Chinese sports apparel brand Rigorer, whose shoes he wore through the 2022-2023 season.

During the Lakers' season finale on April 10, 2022, in a 146-141 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets, Reaves notched the first triple-double of his career, and put up career highs in points, rebounds, and assists, with 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in 42 minutes.

On April 16, 2023, in Game 1 of the First Round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, the first NBA playoff game of his career, he scored 23 points in a 128-112 win. He matched that performance in Game 4 of the same series, leading the Lakers in scoring in a 117-111 overtime victory.

On December 25, 2024, Reaves scored the game-winning layup and finished with a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 115-113 win over the Golden State Warriors. On December 28, Reaves put up a career-high 16 assists in a 132-122 win over the Sacramento Kings. On January 17, 2025, Reaves scored a then career-high 38 points in a 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Reaves later broke this record on February 8, scoring 45 points in a 124-117 win over the Indiana Pacers. With that performance, Reaves became the fourth Laker in the last twenty years to score at least 45 points, joining Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. On April 3, 2025, Reaves had 31 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in a game against the Golden State Warriors. Reaves made 9 3-pointers, with a majority of them coming in the 4th quarter.

Player Profile and Style of Play

Austin Reaves is known for his versatility, basketball IQ, and ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game. He is a sharp-shooting combo guard who can score, create plays for his teammates, and defend effectively. His high school coach, Gregg Marshall, noted that Reaves is the "complete package" with a great skillset, ball-handling skills, fundamental defense, and the ability to get to the foul line.

Personal Life

Austin Reaves is the son of Nicole Wilkett and Brian Reaves. Both of his parents played college basketball for Arkansas State. His mother averaged 21.3 points per game and earned all-conference honors as a senior, while his father tied for third in program history with 384 career assists. Reaves' brother, Spencer, played college basketball for North Greenville and Central Missouri before embarking on a professional career with Juaristi ISB in Spain. As of 2023-24, Spencer is with Rasta Vechta in Germany. Reaves' grandmother is German, which allowed him to obtain a German passport in 2022.

Achievements and Honors

First Team All-Big 12 (2021)
Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2020)
NBA Cup Champion (2023)
Arkansas Class 3A All-State selection (2x)
Arkansas State Tournament MVP

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