After only two days of practice for Team USA, the squad’s head coach, Steve Kerr, is delivering high praise for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
Kerr, who’s coaching the Team USA squad that’s set to compete in the FIBA World Cup later this month, explained why having Reaves is an asset.
“He fits in wherever we put him; that’s the beauty of Austin,” Kerr said. “He’s a connector. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s physical, shoots and passes it. Just so poised out there all the time. He’s a guy who enhances any lineup that he plays with.”
In addition, Kerr also pointed why having a different vantage point helps when it comes to Reaves and other members of the squad.
“Mainly, it’s just better to have him on your team than to have him on the other team,” Kerr said. “That’s what I would say about Austin. One of the fun things with this endeavor is that you really get to know guys who you’ve competed against and admired, but then you really get to know their games.”
He continued praising the former Univeristy of Oklahoma product.
“Just feel, vision, awareness, and understanding of the game,” said Kerr of what makes Reaves a “connector.” “The ball just goes to the right spot, the right cut is made. Austin made a play yesterday where he made a drive and kick; he was kind of behind the defense, and he worked completely behind the defense, flashed kind of in the middle of the paint, caught it and swung it through. He had feel; you have to have awareness to make a play like that. So connectors are guys who make those types of plays, and the game just makes sense, and you end up getting open shots.”
Kerr has been head coach of the Golden State Warriors for nine seasons. The Warriors have managed to capture an NBA title in four of those years and also reached the finals on two other occasions.
Most recently, Kerr’s Warriors watched their 2022-23 season come to an end at the hands of Reaves and the Lakers. In that six-game series, Reaves scored in double figures five times and twice tallied more than 20 points in a game.
Reaves’ emergence would have been considered amazing just two years ago, when he signed as an undrafted guard with the Lakers. Starting out with a two-way deal, he quickly earned a regular contract and contributed to the team during the disastrous 2021-22 campaign.
This past season, Reaves continued to improve and then became a key player during the Lakers’ playoff run. That stretch began with a 14-point fourth-quarter effort in the opening playoff contest against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Reaves’ efforts helped spark the Lakers to a win in that game and a six-game series victory. That was followed by his performances against Kerr and the Warriors and culminated with solid play in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Even though Kerr is offering such lofty praise for Reaves, he’s surely happy to still have a pair of future Hall of Famers in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Both have been key parts of all four Warriors titles during their run and will be joined this year by veteran Chris Paul.
Reaves and his teammates have already been the subject of blistering criticism from former Lakers guard Nick Young. Such criticism is nothing new for Reaves, who seems much more likely to focus on the comments made by Kerr.
