Austin Reaves believes Kobe Bryant’s rivalry with LeBron James helps explain why Luka Doncic faces a different reception from Lakers fans.
Speaking with Melissa Rohlin of the California Post in a feature published Wednesday, Reaves said fans “probably hated” James when he and Bryant were competing for recognition as the NBA’s best player.
“I think with the Bron situation it was a little different just because Bron and Kobe were battling for the best player in the NBA for multiple years, so Lakers fans at the time probably hated LeBron,” Reaves said. “Not that they didn’t accept him when he was here, but they still probably had the ‘Kobe is better’ type of mentality.
He suggested that loyalty to Bryant could persist even after James joined the Lakers.
“But they don’t have that with Luka,” Reaves said. “He was kind of after Kobe. They don’t have a reason not to embrace him like a Kobe or someone else who was a Laker legend.”
Reaves has a personal connection to that debate. Before becoming James’ teammate, he was a young Bryant fan who made fun of James online.
His subsequent relationship with James adds useful context to his assessment of how fans view the two stars.
Austin Reaves went from a Kobe fan to a LeBron teammate
In 2012, a teenage Reaves shared a Facebook joke featuring Bryant that mocked James for not having a championship. Years later, that post resurfaced while Reaves was sharing a locker room with the player it targeted.
Austin Reaves posting this on Facebook in 2012 and now LeBron is his teammate 😅 pic.twitter.com/wdIZ8zT6Nk
— Fanatics Sports & Casino (@FanaticsSports) March 13, 2023
Reaves approached James about the post and explained that he had grown up rooting for Bryant. James laughed about it.
Reaves later revisited the exchange on “All The Smoke”. In that telling, the uncomfortable part was seeing a childhood joke circulate while he was playing with James and knowing he would have to address it.
“When I first seen it, we were in New Orleans,” said Reaves. “It was right after the game. I don’t think he or I played, and I got on my phone after the game after Coach got done talking. And it was the first thing I seen, and I was like, ‘F—.’ Bron was over there in his locker and I was like, ‘Bron, come here man.’ He comes over and I was like, ‘I was a Kobe fan. I was s——- on you in 2012. But have you seen this?’ And he was like, ‘No’ and just started laughing.”
That history matters because Reaves’ own experience complicates any simple division between Kobe supporters and LeBron supporters.
His childhood allegiance did not prevent him from developing a productive relationship with James. Readers can recognize the rivalry he describes without treating every Lakers fan’s opinion as fixed.
LeBron’s influence on Reaves extended to his decisions on the court
Their relationship also produced specific basketball lessons.
In 2023, Reaves described a possession in which he had decided to pass to James before coming off a ball screen. The defense instead presented an opportunity for Reaves to attack the basket or create a shot for another teammate.
James encouraged him to make that read instead of concentrating on delivering him the ball. The point was that James could find other ways to contribute while Reaves made the decision the possession required.
“He came up to me and was like, ‘Don’t worry about getting me the ball,” said James. “I’m going to find obviously ways to impact the game and I’m going to do what I do. Just be yourself. And take what the defense gives you.'”
For a young guard playing alongside an established superstar, that distinction is meaningful: Looking for the most accomplished teammate and making the best available play are not always the same decision.
Reaves was still praising James’ adaptability in March 2026, when the two were playing alongside Doncic. Reaves pointed to James getting behind the defense in ball-screen action and contributing on the offensive glass.
“He’s one of the smartest guys to ever play the game of basketball,” Reaves said. “His ability to adapt and to figure out what the game needs is second to none.”
Reaves credited James with adjusting to what the team needed and setting an example through that willingness. Those observations provide a fuller picture of his regard for James than his childhood Facebook post alone.
James’ Lakers accomplishments also belong in the discussion. He won the 2020 championship and Finals MVP award.
His tenure also included a 2023 Western Conference finals appearance, eight All-Star selections and seven All-NBA selections.
Reaves’ remarks address the emotional history surrounding James’ arrival. They should be read alongside the achievements and relationships James built after becoming a Laker.
Luka Doncic has already honored Kobe Bryant’s place in Los Angeles
Doncic’s connection to Bryant also includes a tangible contribution to the city.
In April 2025, he donated $5,000 toward restoring a vandalized downtown Los Angeles mural depicting Kobe and Gianna Bryant. The donation covered the full fundraising goal set by artist Louie Palsino.
That gesture gives the fan discussion a concrete example beyond speculation about popularity. It shows Doncic supporting the preservation of a tribute to the player whose legacy remains central to this conversation.
The competitive questions remain, including Stephen A. Smith’s doubts about the Lakers improving without James.
For his part, Doncic told Rohlin he began feeling he belonged during last year’s training camp. He also expressed hope of retiring with the Lakers, while acknowledging the uncertainty of NBA careers.
