Austin Reaves

 

Austin Tyler Reaves (born May 29, 1998), nicknamed “Hillbilly Kobe” and “AR-15” (though he has publicly expressed dislike for such nicknames), is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and weighing 197 pounds (89 kg), Reaves plays both shooting guard and point guard. He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers and Oklahoma Sooners before joining the Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Reaves has since become one of the NBA’s most successful undrafted players, earning a four-year, $56 million contract and establishing himself as a key contributor for the Lakers.

 

Early Life 

 

Reaves was born on May 29, 1998, in Newark, Arkansas, to parents Nicole Wilkett and Brian Reaves. Both parents played college basketball at Arkansas State University; his mother was an all-conference forward who averaged over 20 points per game as a senior. At the same time, his father was a point guard tied for third in program history with 384 career assists. His brother Spencer also played collegiate basketball at Central Missouri.

 

High School Career

 

Reaves attended Cedar Ridge High School in Newark, Arkansas, where he emerged as one of the state’s elite players. In his first two seasons, he led Cedar Ridge to back-to-back Class 2A state championships. In one memorable performance, Reaves scored 73 points in a triple-overtime victory against Forrest City High School. As a senior, he averaged 32.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, leading his team to a Class 3A state title. He was named MVP of the state tournament after averaging 43.3 points across four games and earned two-time Class 3A All-State honors.

 

College Career

 

Wichita State (2016–2018)

 

On January 20, 2016, Reaves committed to Wichita State over offers from South Dakota State and Arkansas State. Entering his freshman season, he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he had played through since his junior year of high school. As a freshman, he averaged just 4.1 points per game in a reserve role. After the season, Reaves required another surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which had dislocated three times during his college career.

 

As a sophomore in 2017-18, Reaves increased his production to 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.5% from three-point range. On January 28, 2018, he posted a sophomore season-high 23 points against Tulsa, making seven three-pointers in the first half: the most in a half in program history. He led the American Athletic Conference in three-point percentage during conference play (45.1%).

 

Oklahoma (2019–2021)

 

After his sophomore season, Reaves transferred to the University of Oklahoma and sat out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules. His junior season (2019-20) saw significant improvement, as he averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

 

As a senior in 2020-21, Reaves flourished under coach Lon Kruger, averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He earned First Team All-Big 12 honors and became one of college basketball’s most respected players. In his final college game, Reaves scored 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting against top-seeded Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32, though Oklahoma lost. He also posted a memorable 32-point performance against the eventual national champions earlier in the season.

 

NBA Career

 

Undrafted and Early Lakers Career (2021–2023)

 

Despite his impressive college résumé, Reaves went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. He later revealed that he declined to be selected 42nd overall by the Detroit Pistons, instead choosing to sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 3, 2021. He was converted to a standard contract on September 27.

 

Reaves made his NBA debut on October 22, 2021, scoring eight points against Phoenix. On December 15, 2021, he hit a game-winning three-pointer against Dallas. On April 10, 2022, in the Lakers’ season finale, Reaves recorded his first career triple-double with 31 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in an overtime win over Denver.

 

In his playoff debut on April 16, 2023, Reaves scored 23 points in a Game 1 victory over Memphis, matching that total in Game 4. His strong 2022-23 season earned him respect throughout the league and led to contract negotiations.

 

Contract Extension and Continued Growth (2023–Present)

 

On July 6, 2023, Reaves re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $56 million contract, one of the largest deals ever given to a player who entered the league undrafted. The 2023-24 season saw him average career highs while the Lakers won the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament on December 9, 2023.

 

In 2024-25, Reaves posted career highs across the board with 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 three-pointers per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. On October 26, 2025, he set a career-high 51 points with 11 rebounds and 9 assists against Sacramento, becoming the eighth Laker to make 20+ free throws in a single game. Three days later, he hit a game-winning buzzer-beating floater against Minnesota with 28 points and a career-high-tying 16 assists.

 

International Career

 

Reaves was selected to represent the United States at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, becoming only the third undrafted NBA player on a U.S. national team after Ben Wallace (2002) and Brad Miller (2006).

 

Personal Life

 

A lifelong Lakers fan, Reaves signed a signature shoe deal with Chinese brand Rigorer in March 2023, releasing the “AR1” signature shoe in May 2023.

 

References

 

External Links

* Austin Reaves on NBA.com

* Austin Reaves on Basketball-Reference.com