Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, had the opportunity to coach Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves during their time with Team USA. Kerr, who got to know Reaves well during this period, recently shared his thoughts on the Lakers guard. According to Lakers beat reporter Mike Trudell, Kerr expressed his admiration for Reaves and his preference for coaching him with Team USA over coaching against him. He highlighted Reaves’ overall abilities, emphasizing his athleticism, skills, intelligence, and toughness, and revealed that he is a big fan of the young player.

Despite not being a highly-touted prospect, Austin Reaves has made a name for himself in the NBA. In his rookie season during the 2021-22 campaign, he played in 61 games, averaging 7.3 points per game with a shooting percentage of 45.9% from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc. However, he showed significant improvement in his second season in the league.

During the 2023-24 season, Reaves significantly improved his performance, averaging 13.0 points per game with an impressive 52.9 percent field goal shooting and 39.8 percent three-point shooting. He also contributed 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Reaves’ outstanding performance earned him a lucrative new contract during the offseason.

While the Los Angeles Lakers have superstar talents like LeBron James and Anthony Davis to lead the team, Austin Reaves has emerged as a valuable third option. His continued growth and contributions are expected to elevate his game even further in the upcoming season.

The Lakers have made several roster upgrades during the offseason, with the goal of making a strong push for the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season, following their Western Conference Finals appearance in the previous season.