Lakers News: Austin Reaves Crashes ESPN’s #NBArank For First Time

Re-signing shooting guard Austin Reaves was a major focus for your Los Angeles Lakers this summer, so when they landed him on a new four-year deal, it was met with a ton of optimism. He has taken a step in his game, and it has helped this Lakers team find more success.

After spending this summer with Team USA, Reaves looks ready to have another breakout year for LA. Reaves landed on the ESPN Top-100 player rankings for the first time in his career.

“Why he could exceed his ranking in 2023-24:

USA Basketball did not medal in the World Cup over the summer, but Reaves showed how he thrives in an iron-sharpens-iron environment. Reaves was Team USA's second-leading scorer on 57/50/95 shooting splits while ranking third in assists and third in steals. We've seen plenty of players parlay stars-and-stripes service into a leap the following season -- Reaves could be the next name on that list.”

Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com

For Reaves to make this list, it means that he is being noticed by people around the league. He really stepped up in the postseason for the Lakers, and many people got to see his skillset that maybe hadn’t already.

He will be a key member of this Lakers squad this season, and if he can grow more into his role as the third-best player on the team, LA will be in great shape. Reaves will be given more responsibility in leading the Lakers offense as the point guard, so he has more control over everything.

This strategy worked well during the playoffs, so the team wants to see if they can take it to a new level across an entire season. His ability to either set up a teammate or get his own shot gives this Lakers offense a boost, and head coach Darvin Ham trusts him to make the correct decision.

We should be in for a fun season of Lakers basketball, and Reaves will be a massive part of that. His growth will be something to watch throughout the year, and we can't wait to see him play.

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