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Will Lakers guard Austin Reaves receive his first All-Star selection next season?

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated13 Jul 2023

Will Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves receive his first All-Star selection next season

Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham believes guard Austin Reaves will become an All-Star at some point in the near future. Reaves, 25, went undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma in 2021.

“I’m putting it on record right now: Austin Reaves will be an All-Star at some point soon,” Ham said. Reaves made 19 starts in 61 appearances of his rookie 2021-22 season, averaging 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

Upon further review of a few NBA betting sites, the Los Angeles Lakers hold seventh-shortest odds to win next season’s 2024 championship. Some sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors.


In the Lakers’ 146-141 regular-season finale overtime win over Denver on Apr. 10, 2022, Reaves recorded his first career triple-double. He amassed a then-career-high 31 points, along with a career-best 16 rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes as a starter.

Reaves also shot 7-of-17 (41.2%) from the floor, 3-of-5 (60%) beyond the arc, and a perfect 14-of-14 (100%) at the foul line. His successful rookie year led to Lakers fans giving the Arkansas native interesting nicknames, such as “Hillbilly Kobe” and “AR-15.”

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves posted career-high numbers in his sophomore 2022-23 NBA season, has great odds of receiving his first All-Star selection in 2024

Moreover, Reaves made 22 starts in 64 games with LA in the 2022-23 season. The second-year guard averaged career highs of 13 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 28.8 minutes per game while shooting career bests of 52.9% from the floor, 39.8% from deep, and 86.4% at the free throw line.

In the Lakers’ 111-105 win over the Orlando Magic on Mar. 19, the undrafted star scored a career-high 35 points in 31 minutes off the bench. Along with logging six boards and six assists, he finished 9-of-14 (64.3%) shooting from the field and 16-of-18 (88.9%) at the line.

Of course, Reaves’ regular-season success carried over to the postseason. During the 2023 Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, the guard averaged playoff-series highs of 21.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 39.6 minutes per game.


Reaves tallied a playoff career-high 23 points in first-round wins of Games 1 and 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies and in Game 6 vs. the Golden State Warriors during the conference semifinals. Not to mention, Reaves recorded 23 points in WCF losses in Games 1 and 3 to Denver.

Earlier this month, Reaves signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Lakers. His deal includes a $14,898,786 player option for the 2026-27 season and a 15% trade bonus.

If the previous two seasons are anything to go by, Reaves could very well receive his first All-Star selection in the 2023-24 season. After then-Lakers coach Frank Vogel was fired at the end of the 2021-22 season, the guard showed signs of improvement at last season’s practices under new LA coach Darvin Ham.

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