NBA
AR
#15

Austin Reaves

Guard · Los Angeles Lakers · 6'5", 197 lb · Born May 29, 1998 · Newark, Arkansas · Drafted Undrafted, 2021
Undrafted → starIn-Season Tournament (2023)🇺🇸 Team USA (2023)Los Angeles Lakers
NBALos Angeles LakersGuards
Compare:vs Aytonvs LaRaviavs Hayesvs Doncicvs Kennardvs Smart
In short

Austin Reaves is a star-level secondary creator for the Los Angeles Lakers — one of the great undrafted success stories in the NBA. A small-town Arkansas product who played at Wichita State and Oklahoma, he went undrafted in 2021, made Team USA's 2023 World Cup roster (only the third undrafted player to do so), and grew into a 20-point scorer. He scored a career-high 51 in 2025-26 and signed a four-year, $185 million deal.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceWed, Nov 11
vsMemphis GrizzliesDrop coverage
Proj. points
23.4
range 19.8–27
Line 23.5
49%
to go over
Team win
64%
114–110
Poi 23.4 Lean underReb 4.7 Lean overAss 5.5 Lean underPRA 33.6 Lean over
Likely on himKentavious Caldwell-Pope· 78 Perimeter DStrong defender
20+ pts80%25+ pts34%30+ pts5%

Model lines Reaves at 23.4 pts (range 19.8–27) vs a 23.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (49%).

Biggest edge: scheme fit — drop coverage concedes the pull-up/mid-range he likes.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Reaves
The Reaves Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A small-town Arkansas kid who went undrafted — and became a star creator and a $185 million man.

The son of two Arkansas State players, Reaves starred at Wichita State and Oklahoma and went undrafted in 2021, signing a two-way deal with his favorite team.

🏫 Oklahoma · undraftedTwo-way with LAL

He grew from a 7-point rookie into a 20-point scorer and a member of Team USA's 2023 World Cup roster.

📈 7 → 20+ ppg🇺🇸 Team USA

He won the 2023 In-Season Tournament and scored a career-high 51 against Sacramento in October 2025.

🏆 In-Season Tourney51 · career high

A four-year, $185M deal in 2026 made him the Lakers' third star alongside Dončić and LeBron.

4 yr / $185MThird star
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
23.3
2025-26
RPG
4.7
per game
APG
5.5
per game
FG%
.490
.360 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A small-town Arkansas kid who went undrafted and became a star secondary creator — the Lakers' homegrown find.

Austin Tyler Reaves was born in Newark, Arkansas, the son of two Arkansas State basketball players, and averaged 32.5 points as a high-school senior. He played at Wichita State and then Oklahoma, going undrafted in 2021 — reportedly declining a late second-round pick to choose his landing spot — before signing a two-way deal with the Lakers.

He grew from a 7-point rookie into a star-level creator: a 20-point scorer, a member of Team USA's 2023 World Cup roster (only the third undrafted player ever), and a 2023 In-Season Tournament champion. He scored a career-high 51 points against Sacramento in October 2025 and signed a four-year, $185 million contract in 2026, cementing his place as the Lakers' third star alongside Dončić and LeBron James.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Basketball is the Reaves family trade: his mother Nicole averaged over 21 points at Arkansas State, his father Brian ranks among the school's assist leaders, and his brother Spencer played college and pro ball, sparking Austin's interest. A grandmother of German descent gave him a German passport, and he briefly considered playing for Germany before committing to Team USA.

His nickname 'AR-15' followed him from his shooting, though he has said he dislikes it and wants to move past it. A lifelong Lakers fan, he built his career on clutch shot-making — multiple game-winners — and a fearless, unbothered demeanor, becoming a fan favorite and one of the best value-turned-max stories in the league.

PERSONALITY

The person

A fearless, clutch secondary creator — an undrafted grinder turned star scorer and playmaker.

Secondary creatorGrew into a 20-plus-point scorer and facilitator; a career-high 51.
ClutchMultiple game-winners and a reputation for unbothered late-game nerve.
Undrafted starOne of only three undrafted players ever to make Team USA.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Secondary Creator · Scoring Guard
Temperament
Alpha
Leadership
66/100
Scoring78
Playmaking70
Rebounding45
Perimeter D64
Rim protection24
Spacing64
Athleticism70
Clutch70
a secondary creator and scoring guard
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

The third-star leap

Reaves's development from undrafted flier to $185 million creator is one of the league's best value stories. He shoots it, gets to the line, and — most importantly — runs offense when Dončić and LeBron rest, a genuine third-star burden. His career-high 51 and multiple game-winners show a player unafraid of the biggest moments.

The fit with two stars

Playing alongside two ball-dominant creators, Reaves has proven he can both space off the ball and initiate on his own, a versatility that makes the Lakers' offense hum. His defense and athletic limitations are real, but his shot-making, playmaking, and nerve make him the ideal complement — and eventual heir — in Los Angeles.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-265134.523.34.75.5.490.360

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2025-26Career-high 51 points with 11 rebounds and 9 assists vs Sacramento
2023In-Season Tournament champion; made Team USA — only the third undrafted player ever
DevelopmentFrom a 7.3-point undrafted rookie to a 20-plus-point star creator

Hardware

1×
In-Season Tournament champion (2023)
1×
First-team All-Big 12 (2021)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A star-level third creator locked in long-term — the Lakers' homegrown breakout.

On a four-year, $185 million deal, Reaves is the ideal complement to Dončić and LeBron: shooting, playmaking, and clutch nerve. As the roster's youngest star, he projects to carry more of the load as the veterans age — a foundational piece.

Shot creationStar-level
Clutch scoringProven
PlaymakingStrong
Defense / athleticismAverage

Contract

Deal
4 yr / $185M signed 2026
Role
Third star creator
Age
28 prime
Bottom line

An undrafted kid who became a $185 million star creator. The perfect complement to Dončić and LeBron — and the Lakers' bridge to the future.

FAQ

Quick answers

Was Austin Reaves drafted?

No — he went undrafted in 2021 and signed a two-way deal with the Lakers, growing into a star-level scorer and a $185 million player.

What is Austin Reaves's career high?

51 points, with 11 rebounds and 9 assists, against Sacramento in October 2025.

Has Austin Reaves played for Team USA?

Yes — he made the 2023 FIBA World Cup roster, only the third undrafted player ever to make the U.S. national team.