The fame of Austin Reaves has become prominent enough that he’s been forced to deny rumors of a relationship with singer Taylor Swift.
While appearing on the “All the Smoke” podcast, Reaves responded (at the 37:33 mark) to a social media report from last month which reported that the two were seen together in an Arkansas bar.
“I have never met her, never talked to her…all bulls—,” Reaves said. “I ain’t never talked to her.”
When the original report came out last month, Reaves’ brother shot down any idea of the two getting together. Despite that denial, it’s clear the rumor had yet to die.
Swift’s extremely busy schedule basically negates any likelihood that she’d have time to make such a trip. Earlier this year, she began her Eras Tour that’s not set to conclude until August 2024.
Swift released her first album in 2006 and has been a musical superstar since that time. In contrast, Reaves was decidedly under the radar just two years ago when the Lakers signed him to a two-way contract.
The progress made by Reaves in becoming an integral part of the Lakers’ lineup has been a rapid one. Less than two months after his original contract was signed, Reaves was given a standard contract by the team.
As a rookie, injuries allowed Reaves to start in 19 of the 61 games he played in for the Lakers during the 2021-22 campaign. Unfortunately, the team as a whole had a disastrous season that resulted in no playoff berth.
Despite the Lakers continuing to struggle for a good portion of this past season, Reaves and his teammates began to mesh in the latter part of this past regular season.
That effort set the stage for an exciting playoff run that included a pair of six-game series victories over the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. However, the dream died in the Western Conference Finals when the Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets.
Reaves’ postseason performance sparked rumors that he might potentially be in line for a nine-figure contract as a restricted free agent. In the end, Reaves signed a four-year-deal worth $54 million to stay with the Lakers.
The newfound wealth of Reaves will certainly help him gain the attention of female fans. However, it remains in doubt whether he’ll ever meet Swift, much less have a conversation with her.
