?I Wanted to Tell Everybody F*ck Off?: Bagging a $53,000,000 Contract, ?Hillybilly Kobe? Digresses into Impressing LeBron James

Austin Reaves is living a classical underdog story in LA. He has shown brilliance in becoming an offensive asset for the Lakers. After going undrafted in 2021, he became part of the Lakers squad. Over the next two years, Reaves transitioned from a two-way role player to a vital Lakers rotation member. As easy as it sounds, it is far from easy to be competing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Over long periods, Reaves has showcased his ability to take over games and deliver moments of brilliance in crunch time.

While being with the Lakers, Austin has foreseen several experiments by the Lakers to fulfill a reliable on-ball player. As much as Westbrook can do it all, even he didn’t fit well in the purple and gold jersey. Reaves has earned LeBron James’ respect and his head coach Darvin Ham’s. Darvin believes Reaves to be an all-star caliber player.

Reaves on betting on himself and cracking a $53 million contract

In a recent episode of All The Smoke, Austin sat with the hosts Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, discussing his path to NBA and his evolution in the Lakers. When Stephen asked Austin why he chose to remain undrafted and his motivations to get to where he is at today, Reaves had a tremendous answer.

He said, “I think told Reggie [Austin’s agent at AMR], the first day I went for pre-draft, he was like – why do you want to make it? And obviously, I love basketball, but I wanted to tell everyone to f**k off. I could do it. And that was really it“.

Reaves declined to be drafted by Pistons as a 42nd pick in the 2021 drafts. He wanted to pursue either Milwaukee Bucks or Los Angeles Lakers at the time.

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Given what Reaves has been doing for the Lakers, he definitely played hard to earn his contract. On a more noteworthy note, Reaves began living up to the flashlights of LA from his initial year. Last season, Austin achieved a career-high 35 points against the Orlando Magic while coming off the bench. He led the Lakers to a victory in the absence of James.

Austin pondered changing teams before his reunion with LeBron James

Before signing a four-year, $56 million deal with the LA Lakers, Austin Reaves weighed his options in free agency. He was coming off a breakout season, so why not? Despite having interest from multiple teams, Reaves never thought twice before returning to the Lakers. In the interview, Matt Barnes requested Reaves to name at least two teams he thought of considering.

One team was the Houston Rockets, boasting a young squad with talented players. Although his chances for a championship might have reduced significantly, he would have fitted into their roster. Further, having learned from LeBron James himself, he could take on the leading role for the Rockets.

The other team he was open to considering was the San Antonio Spurs, known for their spectacular coach in Pop. With the addition of Victor to their squad, the team is expected to make waves in the 2023-24 season. Austin’s ability to hold his ground in the league and his coachable nature makes him a suitable fit for the Spurs’ team-first approach.

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With his refreshed contract and role defined, will Reaves build on his growing skillset and help propel the Lakers to championship games?