‘I knew it from first practice’: LeBron James heaps praise on Lakers star Austin Reaves’ breakaway… after mics caught a confident youngster yelling ‘I’M HIM’ during an impressive playoff win over the Grizzlies
- Austin Reaves only averaged 13 points this season despite playing 28.8 mpg
- He originally went off the list before joining the Lakers for the first time on a two-way deal
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After his surprise performance in the Lakers’ Game 1 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Austin Reaves received high praise from LeBron James.
Reaves scored 24 points in the win to lead the Lakers’ starting lineup, and the team’s biggest star saved some kind words for the youngster during his post-game press conference.
‘I’m not surprised. I knew from the first practice we had when we caught him that he wasn’t going to be a two-way player for long,” James said after the game.
“I know the type of players that suit my game. I knew Austin would be.’
After playing his last two seasons in college for the University of Oklahoma, Reaves originally joined the Lakers after being drafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, before joining the Lakers on a two-way contract in August.
LeBron James had high praise for Lakers sophomore guard Austin Reaves after Game 1
Reaves surprisingly led the Lakers starters with 24 points in the win over the Grizzlies
He then signed a standard NBA contract with the team on September 27, before making his debut that year on October 22.
This season, he averaged just 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, despite averaging nearly 30 minutes per night in 64 games.
Rui Hachimura also had a surprising career-best playoff scoring with 29 points, including 21 in the second half, as the Lakers came on.
Reaves himself, meanwhile, revealed after the game that he enjoyed performing in the biggest moment of his career to date.
“You dream of being on a stage like this,” he said. “And I got hot late and I had fun.”