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Steve Kerr Gets Honest on Austin Reaves

Steve Kerr is happy to have Lakers guard Austin Reaves on Team USA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves emerged as a high level contributor last season, but may be just scratching the surface on his potential. A core piece for Team USA’s FIBA World Cup roster, Reaves has drawn very high praise from Golden State Warriors and Team USA head coach Steve Kerr.

Speaking with the media after a World Cup scrimmage that preceded exhibition play, Kerr said, "He fits in wherever we put him, that’s the beauty of Austin. He’s a connector. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s physical, shoots and passes it. Just so poised out there all the time. He’s a guy who enhances any lineup that he plays with."

On a standout moment Reaves had in practice, Kerr said, "Austin made a play yesterday where he made a drive and kick, he was kind of behind the defense, and he worked completely behind the defense, flashed kind of in the middle of the paint, caught it and swung it through. He had feel. You have to have awareness to make a play like that. So connectors are guys who make those types of plays, and the game just makes sense, and you end up getting open shots."

These are the type of plays that allowed Reaves to emerge as one of the Lakers' top rotation players last season, and why they were so eager to re-sign him this summer.

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