Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell recently spoke out in support of his teammate, Austin Reaves for his talent. Russell, who was traded to the Lakers from the Timberwolves at the trade deadline, teamed up with the sophomore in Los Angeles, and he has been vocal about Reaves’ abilities.
“They prolly discredit him ’cause of his skin color, but he got game,” Russell said on Pat Bev Pod, shedding light on potential biases faced by Reaves in the league. “I ain’t trying to take it here, but a lot of black dudes in the league got one, maybe one white boy that they know can hang and can get to it at any park back home. I can bring him to any park back home, and he gonna hold it down.”
Despite going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Austin Reaves has been proving his worth on the court. After signing a two-way contract with the Lakers in 2021, Reaves earned a standard NBA contract, and his performances have only improved since then.
The 25-year-old shooting guard showcased his skills during his sophomore season, averaging an impressive 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 28.8 minutes per game for the Purple and Gold. Reaves made his presence felt in the playoffs as well, upping his game with stats of 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 36.2 minutes per game during the postseason.
On the heels of his successful season, Austin Reaves secured a signature shoe deal with Chinese sports apparel brand Rigorer, further cementing his status as a rising star in the league.
In addition, Reaves has been selected to Team USA squad for this year’s FIBA World Cup.
