Austin Reaves, through his skills, confidence, and competitiveness, has proved himself to be a key player for the Lakers. He has continuously demonstrated that he is a reliable scorer, a skilled defensive player, and above all, a good teammate. Reaves quickly earned the respect and trust of LeBron, who holds him in high regard. Along with his skills and game IQ, Reaves also boasts his tough persona on the court that stems from a competitive and focused mindset.

More than often, it is the perfect means of getting into the opponents’ heads or just having fun in the game. And Austin Reaves knows how to have fun on the court. From doing the “Too small” to Pat Bev to screaming the classic “I’m him!”, Reaves reveals the birth of his on-court “a**hole persona,” in a recent episode of The Old Man and The Three show, hosted by former NBA star JJ Redick.

The white boy snaps back

For Reaves, it came naturally as he puts it. Ever since high school, he has had to deal with being talked down on the court, so it wasn’t difficult for him to channel the “a**hole persona.” Reaves’ confidence was the driving force behind his persona, and he knew he had the skills to back it up. He recalls, “I walk on the court and everybody be like, ‘I got the white boy.’ I’m like, ‘It’s going to be hell. In three possessions your coach is going to ask someone else to come guard me.'”

Austin Reaves’ response to trash-talk