Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra recognized something special about Austin Reaves long before the Los Angeles Lakers rewarded the undrafted guard with a historic contract.
Three years after coaching Reaves with Team USA, Spoelstra offered a glowing assessment of his former player before Monday’s matchup at Crypto.com Arena.
His praise went beyond Reaves’ offensive development.
Spoelstra believes the Lakers guard possesses an invaluable quality that has helped fuel his remarkable rise: the instincts of a winner.
Erik Spoelstra Praises Austin Reaves’ Winning Mentality
Asked about his experience coaching Reaves with Team USA, Spoelstra highlighted the guard’s competitiveness and commitment to both ends of the floor.
“He’s a competitor, first and foremost,” Spoelstra said, according to Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell.
“He has high skill level offensively, but he competes on both sides of the floor. He’s a winning player.”
Spoelstra served as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where Reaves emerged as a valuable contributor.
The experience left a lasting impression on Miami’s two-time championship-winning coach.
“When you coach someone, you can spot a winning player,” Spoelstra said. “He had that quality with USA. I was really impressed.”
Spoelstra added that Reaves’ subsequent success has hardly surprised him.
“I’m not surprised by the success he’s had, and he continues to get better.”
Austin Reaves Makes NBA History With Record $185 Million Contract
Reaves’ transformation from an undrafted prospect into a Lakers cornerstone reached another milestone this summer.
The former Oklahoma standout signed a four-year, $185 million maximum contract in June, becoming the highest-paid undrafted player in NBA history.
The agreement includes a $51.2 million player option for the 2029-30 season.
It represents a remarkable rise for someone who entered the league on a two-way contract in 2021 after all 30 NBA teams passed on him in the draft.
Reaves earned a standard contract before his rookie season and steadily developed into a dependable contributor.
He averaged 7.3 points as a rookie before increasing his scoring average in each of his first five seasons.
Last season, Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
His breakthrough convinced the Lakers to make a substantial long-term investment, pairing him with Luka Doncic as the franchise builds its future.
Spoelstra’s assessment offers another perspective on why Los Angeles made that commitment.
Reaves’ value extends beyond his scoring numbers to his competitiveness, decision-making and ability to contribute to winning basketball.
Lakers Star Continues Strong Start Alongside Luka Doncic
Reaves has carried that momentum into the 2026-27 season.
Through seven games, the 28-year-old is averaging 23.1 points and 5.1 assists, providing another reliable offensive option alongside Doncic.
His ability to create shots, attack the basket and play without the ball has become essential to the Lakers’ offense.
Los Angeles entered Monday’s game against Miami with a 5-2 record after defeating Toronto 131-125 on Sunday.
For Spoelstra, Monday’s matchup offered another opportunity to see Reaves’ development firsthand, although this time from the opposing sideline.
The Heat coach recognized his winning mentality years before Reaves became one of the NBA’s highest-paid guards.
Now, Spoelstra must devise a way to contain a player whose rise he saw coming.
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra Makes Strong Austin Reaves Statement Before Lakers Showdown