Former Lakers Coach Phil Handy Had Interesting First Impression of Austin Reaves

The former Lakers coach had an unusual reaction to meeting Austin Reaves for the first time.

Feb 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dribbles the ball past Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have a long and storied history with both players and coaches. They have a lot of famous coaches and players that have passed through the doors.

Former Lakers coach Phil Handy is someone who is trying to become one of those famous coaches who could potentially come back and lead the Lakers. He was an assistant in Los Angeles for five seasons before becoming a head coach in the Unrivaled League.

Handy has been able to see the evolution of the Lakers' roster over the years. He was part of their NBA title-winning team in 2020.

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One of the guys who Handy was responsible for helping to develop is guard Austin Reaves. Reaves has developed into a really good offensive player, even dropping 45 points on the Pacers before the All-Star break.

Speaking of Reaves, Handy had an interesting first impression of Reaves when he first became a member of the Lakers. When talking about how LeBron James helped Reaves build some confidence, he mentioned his first impression of him when speaking with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson.

“That conversation carried the young fella into what you see now,” Handy continued. “He’s matured, playing at a high level, and is comfortable in his own skin. You see the chemistry he’s built with LeBron and now with Luka Dončić on the floor. I’m happy for the kid and his evolution. He’s put in a lot of work. From the first day I saw him, I said, ‘He’s the real deal, and that kid’s going to have a hell of a career in the league.’”

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Los Angeles is very happy that Reaves has turned into what Handy thought he could turn into. Now that they have Luka Doncic on the roster, Reaves is the perfect third scorer on the roster.

Reaves has been putting up the best numbers of his career this season and has really expanded his play-making. Now that Doncic is on the team, he won't have to worry about for creating for others quite as much.

This year, Reaves is averaging 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

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