Ronald Martinez/Getty
Austin Reaves is a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Reaves is from Newark, Arkansas, and played college basketball for Wichita State and Oklahoma. The 6 foot 5 inch tall Reaves was signed by the Lakers as a free agent after he went undrafted in 2021. Reaves took on a more significant role for the Los Angeles during his second year with the team.
Reaves told reporters in March 2023, “It’s special. I grew up a Lakers fan, so to do it for this organization especially is surreal. Sometimes I’ve got to stop and really think about what I am doing. Obviously, I think all the odds were stacked against me from where I’m from. … I’ve said many times I’m not the most athletic person in the world. I’m not the best at anything, but I think I’m really good at a lot of things.”
Here’s what you need to know about Los Angeles Lakers wing Austin Reaves:
1. Where Was Austin Reaves Born?
Ronald Martinez/Getty Austin Reaves.
Austin Reaves was born on May 29, 1998, in Newark, Arkansas, according to his biography on the NBA website. The town is home to under 1,200 people. Reaves told The Ringer in 2021, “There’s been multiple times where I’m on the court with four Hall of Famers. Then you got me, from the middle of nowhere, in Arkansas.”
The Ringer wrote about his hometown, “Outside of Reaves’s childhood home, a two-story brick house, are miles of rice fields. There are no stoplights in Newark, and no neighbors within a mile of Reaves’s home. There’s a giant power plant. Two restaurants: Moore’s Dairy Creme and the Pizza Place. There’s a supermarket and a couple of gas stations, including an Exxon where old-timers drink coffee and excitedly talk about upcoming high school games.”
2. Where Did Austin Reaves Go to School?
Peter Aiken/GettyAustin Reaves while playing at Wichita State.
Austin Reaves went to high school at Cedar Ridge High School in Newark, Arkansas, according to his NBA bio. He averaged 32.5 points per game in high school, according to the bio. He then played college basketball at Wichita State University from 2016 to 2018 and transferred to the Oklahoma, spending the 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons with the Sooners.
3. Who Are Austin Reaves’ Parents?
Austin Reaves’ parents are Nicole Wilkett and Brian Reaves. According to his NBA.com biography, Reaves’ parents both played college basketball at Arkansas State. According to the Arkansas State media guide, Reaves’ mother played at Arkansas State until 1992 and scored 1,139 points in her career. She scored 680 points during her senior season, which puts her among the highest scorers in a season in school history.
Reaves’ father is also in the record books at Arkansas State, according to the school’s website. As of 2023, Brian Reaves ranked tied for fourth in career assists at Arkansas State, with 384. He played at the school from 1990 to 1993.
Reaves’ parents have one other child together, a son, Spencer Reaves. Austin Reaves’ brother also plays basketball. He played at Central Missouri from 2015 to 2019 before playing professionally in Europe. According to Proballers.com, Spencer Reaves spent the 2023 season playing for Brose Bamberg in Germany.
4. Is Austin Reaves Married?
Austin Reaves is not married and has not publicly talked about whether he has a girlfriend or is in a relationship.
5. When Was Austin Reaves Drafted?
Meg Oliphant/Getty Austin Reaves and LeBron James.
Austin Reaves was not drafted, according to NBA.com. He was eligible for the 2021 draft but was not selected.
6. When Did Austin Reaves Join the Lakers?
Austin Reaves joined the Lakers in 2021 as an undrafted free agent, according to NBA.com. He signed a two-way contract with the Lakers on August 3, 2021, and was moved to a standard contract in September before the 2021-2022 season started. Reaves made his debut with Los Angeles on October 22, 2022, scoring 8 points against the Phoenix Suns as a reserve, according to NBA.com.
7. How Old Is Austin Reaves?
Austin Reaves was 24 years old as of May 4, 2023. Reaves will turn 25 on May 29, 2023.
8. How Tall Is Austin Reaves?
Austin Reaves is 6 foot 5 inches tall, according to NBA.com.
9. How Much Does Austin Reaves Weigh?
Harry How/GettyAustin Reaves.
Austin Reaves weighs 196 pounds, according to NBA.com.
10. Can Austin Reaves Dunk?
Austin Reaves can dunk. Highlights from the 2021 to 2022 season posted to YouTube show off some of Reaves’ best dunks from that year with the Lakers.
11. Does Austin Reaves Have a Championship Ring?
Austin Reaves does not have a championship ring. He and the Lakers are seeking a title during the 2023 season and are currently in the semifinals of the Western Conference, taking on the Golden State Warriors.
12. Is Austin Reaves Related to ‘Big Country’ Bryant Reeves?
Austin Reaves is not related to former NBA player “Big Country” Bryant Reeves. While their last names sound similar, they are spelled differently. The two do have a couple things in common. Bryant Reaves was also born in Arkansas, in Fort Smith, and played college basketball in Oklahoma. But unlike Austin Reaves, Bryant Reaves played at Oklahoma State.
13. What Is Austin Reaeves’ Wingspan?
Tom Pennington/Getty Austin Reaves.
Austin Reaves’ wingspan is 6 feet and 6.25 inches, according to NBADraft.net.
14. What Is Austin Reaves’ Salary?
Austin Reaves’ salary for the 2022-2023 season was $1,563,518, according to Spotrac. Reaves was paid $925,258 during his rookie season in 2021-2022, according to Spotrac.
15. How Long Is Austin Reaves’ Lakers Contract?
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Austin Reaves.
Austin Reaves signed a 2-year contract with the Lakers ahead of the 2021-2022 season. He will be a restricted free agent in 2023 with an estimated qualifying offer of $2,189,518, according to Spotrac.
In March 2023, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the market for Reaves was likely a 4-year deal worth about $50 million.
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Austin Reaves: 15 Fast Facts You Need to Know