Austin Reaves is a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA). He was a member of the Wichita State Shockers and the Oklahoma Sooners in collegiate basketball.
Early Life
Austin Reaves was born in Newark, Arkansas on May 29, 1998. Nicole Wilkett and Brian Reaves are his parents who were basketball players at Arkansas State University. His mother was an all-conference performer as a senior, averaging 21.3 points per game, while his father is tied for third in program history with 384 career assists.
Spencer Reaves, Reaves’ brother, played collegiate basketball for North Greenville and Central Missouri before going pro. Reaves attributes his interest in basketball to his brother. Reaves went to Newark, Arkansas’ Cedar Ridge High School. On January 20, 2016, he chose Wichita State over offers from South Dakota State and Arkansas State to play college basketball.
Austin Reaves Career
In a reserve position as a freshman, he averaged 4.1 points per game. Reaves had surgery after the season to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which had dislocated three times during his college career and forced him to miss games. In a 90–71 win over Tulsa on January 28, 2018, he set a sophomore season-high with 23 points and four assists.
In the first half, Reaves hit seven three-pointers, the most in a half in program history. He averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. Reaves transferred to Oklahoma after his second season and sat out the following season due to NCAA transfer restrictions.
Read Also: Ruby Meylan BiographyHe weight trained and gained 20 pounds during his redshirt year. Reaves set a career-high with 41 points in a win over TCU on March 7, 2020. Reaves was chosen to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team as a redshirt junior, averaging 14.7 points per game.
He set a senior season-high with 32 points in a win over TCU on December 6. Reaves scored 27 points in an 87–71 loss against top-seeded Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament’s second round. He averaged 18.4 points per game as a senior, earning him First-Team All-Big 12 accolades.
NBA
Reaves declared for the NBA draft in 2021 on March 31, foregoing his remaining college eligibility. Reaves signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 3, 2021, after going undrafted in the NBA draft in 2021. He was signed to a regular NBA contract on September 27.
Reaves debuted in the NBA on October 22, scoring eight points off the bench in a 115-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Austin dazzled the world with his explosive game against Orlando Magic on 19th March 2023 as he scored his career-best 35 points.
Austin rose to fame during the second half of the 2022-2023 season for the LA Lakers. He scored an average of 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in a total of 64 games.
Read Also: Baylor Romney BiographyAustin Reaves Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Austin Tyler Reaves |
| Birth Date | 29 May 1998 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 24 Years |
| Birth Place | Newark, Arkansas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sun sign | Gemini |
Physical Statistics | |
 | |
| Height | in feet inches – 6’ 5” – in Centimeters – 196 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 89 kg – in Pounds – 197 lbs |
| Shoe Size | 14 (U.S.) |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Body Type | Athletic |
Family | |
| Father | Brian Reaves |
| Mother | Nicole Wilkett |
| Sister | None |
| Brother | One (Spencer Reaves) |
Qualification/Education | |
| School | Cedar Ridge High School |
| College | Wichita State University & The University of Oklahoma |
Relationship Status | |
 | |
| Marital Status | In relationship |
| Affair | No |
| Who is his girlfriend? | Jenna Barbar |
Personal Life
Austin is in a relationship with his high school sweetheart Jenna Barbar. They both are from the same hometown and attended Cedar Ridge High School in their hometown, Newark. During college studies, Austin left his hometown and enrolled at Wichita State University for his career while Jenne stayed at home and attended Arkansas University. Despite this distance, they maintained their love and remained in touch with each other. After the deal with the Lakers, Jenna was quite often spotted cheering for him.
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LA Lakers signed him for two years with a contract worth $2.4 million in 2021. Based on that contract, he gets an annual average salary of $1.24 million while his base salary is $1.56 million. His contract will end after the 2022-2023 season which means he will be a free agent after this season, but still, the Lakers’ management can get him by paying the required amount.
As per the rumors, other teams are looking to acquire him by offering a hefty amount which can cross $99 million as well. Meanwhile, the Lakers can spend up to $50 million on him for four years while other teams can offer him quite more than that. Thus, it would be difficult for Los Angeles Lakers to retain him if he gets offers from other franchises.
Trivia
- Austin was selected in All-Big 12 first-team selection in 2021.
- He was named All-Newcomer Team of the Big 12 in 2020.
- He is the Los Angeles Lakers’ 16th highest-paid player this season.
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