Austin Reaves, the rising star of the Lakers, recently shared a pivotal moment that solidified LeBron James’ trust in him to run the offense.
Speaking on The Lowe Post podcast with Zach Lowe, Reaves recounted a critical juncture in his relationship with James during the playoffs.
In Game 1 against the Grizzlies, Reaves had a slow start, shooting 2-for-7 in the first half. However, as the fourth quarter began, Reaves found his rhythm.
He described the turning point, saying, per Mike Battaglino of Lakers Daily, “I got two buckets in a row, and someone, I think [Desmond] Bane might’ve shot a wing 3 on the right side, and it came off, and I don’t know if D’Lo (D’Angelo Russell) got the rebound or who or Vando (Jarred Vanderbilt) got the rebound. But I was on the left side, and I just went to run the floor. They outlet it to Bron, and he just tosses me the ball.”
Reaves realized the significance of the moment, as James entrusted him with the ball. “I have the greatest, you know, in my opinion, the greatest player ever, giving me the ball, like, ‘Okay, you got something goin’, go do somethin’.’
“From that point forward, I could tell the trust level was even more than what I knew it was at that point,” Reaves explained.
This moment in the Lakers’ playoff journey highlighted the bond between Austin Reaves and LeBron James, underscoring the confidence James has in the young talent to contribute to the team’s success.
