Austin Reaves was spending a summer day on the golf course when his phone buzzed with news he wasn’t expecting.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard was playing at Pinehurst during a Ryder Cup-style event organized by former teammate D’Angelo Russell when his girlfriend texted him about LeBron James‘ departure from the franchise.
Reaves immediately checked social media to confirm the news before reaching out to the player who had helped shape his first five NBA seasons.
“I texted him and I was like, ‘I was having a great day on the golf course till you ruined it,'” Reaves recalled during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe.
The joke lasted only a moment.
Reaves quickly shifted to reflecting on James’ impact, calling the four-time NBA champion the most influential teammate of his young career.
“He’s been probably had the biggest impact on my career since I’ve been in L.A.,” Reaves said. “Nothing but love and respect and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Austin Reaves Credits LeBron James for His NBA Growth
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James hugs Austin Reaves.
Reaves arrived in Los Angeles as an undrafted rookie in 2021 with no guarantee of earning a roster spot.
He instead developed into one of the NBA’s most productive undrafted players while sharing the floor with James for five seasons.
Their relationship began almost immediately.
Asked how long it took before he received James’ phone number, Reaves laughed.
“I’m pretty sure I got it pretty quick,” he said.
James hosts an annual minicamp before training camp, and Reaves said he first connected with his teammate through a group text sent before the workouts.
The experience underscored how surreal his introduction to the NBA had been.
“My rookie year, I was on a team of six Hall of Famers,” Reaves said. It was like I would see a message—it’d be Russell (Westbrook), Melo, Dwight Howard. It was just name after name after name.
“I’m like, ‘Holy … why am I here?'”
The uncertainty did not last.
Reaves steadily earned James’ trust, eventually becoming one of the Lakers’ most reliable offensive players and a fixture in the starting lineup.
Lakers Turn Page After LeBron Era
Getty The Los Angeles Lakers are moving forward from LeBron James after he decided to play elsewhere next season and are building around Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic as their franchise cornerstones.
James’ departure marks the biggest organizational shift since Reaves entered the league.
The Lakers recently committed to Reaves as one of the franchise’s foundational pieces, signing him to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract alongside Luka Dončić, who now leads Los Angeles into its next era.
Although the franchise is preparing to move forward without James, Reaves made clear that the future Hall of Famer’s influence on his career will remain significant.
The memories extend beyond games and practices.
Even the day Reaves learned James was leaving began with a joke.
It ended with appreciation.
“Nothing but love and respect,” Reaves said.
Austin Reaves to LeBron James After Lakers Exit: ‘You Ruined It’