Austin Reaves reflects on his journey in SLAM Magazine interview

Austin Reaves has created one of the best rags-to-riches stories the NBA has seen in modern times. He went from a relatively unknown prospect out of Newark, Ark., a small town with a population barely over 1,000, to being undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma. Since coming to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021, he has upped his production each season.

He was already a noticeable success story when he averaged 13 points in 28.8 minutes a game during the 2022-23 season and then put up 16.9 points a game during that spring's playoffs. But since then, he has achieved borderline superstar status. So far this season, he's at 25.7 points and six assists a game, and had it not been for a gastrocnemius strain that recently kept him out of action for over a month, he may have earned his first All-Star berth.

Reaves has made the cover of SLAM Magazine, and in an interview with the publication, he reflected on his Horatio Alger-like basketball odyssey.

He could've gotten drafted in the second round in 2021, but he instead chose to be undrafted so that he could pick which team he would sign with as a free agent. Los Angeles first signed him to a two-way contract, but he then received a standard contract just weeks later that summer, and suddenly, he was playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

"It was definitely not easy to say no to an opportunity to hear your name called on draft night, but I trusted the work my agents put in," Reaves said. "I trusted the analytics behind how they thought it would go in certain situations. And we knew here I would have an opportunity—with the group that they had at the time—to get my foot in the door and sign that regular contract and get off the two-way contract. I went to Bron’s mini-camp right before training camp. I played really well, and then got the call on, I think it was that Sunday. I think Monday was Media Day, so I got back from that trip and Rob [Pelinka] called me and my agent and offered. I think at the time it was like the 14th spot on the roster. So, I fully signed that as fast as I could and made it a reality."

Not that many players increase their scoring average in as many consecutive seasons as Reaves has. But he has put lots of work in, and he said that he worked on one specific thing last summer in order to go from a good player to a star and possibly a superstar-level one this season.

"Yeah, I think the main focus was getting stronger," he said. "I would say I’ve done a pretty good job my first four years of building a foundation to where now I could really push weight and get stronger and be able to put myself in positions to be better on the court. And when it comes to basketball, I enjoy trying to get better in every aspect. It’s not just one specific thing. It’s just trying to become a better basketball player overall. But the weight room was the main focus [last] summer."

Sometimes, when someone has the type of meteoric rise that Reaves has enjoyed, the fame could go to his head and cause him to lose perspective. But when asked to name some goals he hasn't yet accomplished, he made it clear that his focus is still on the team.

"Winning a championship," Reaves said. "That’s been the one thing I wanted to do since becoming a Laker. You know, I grew up a Lakers fan [and] a Kobe [Bryant] fan, and watched all those Finals runs. Just to be able to put this jersey on and have an opportunity to help this organization try to compete for a championship is the main thing. I believe all individual success comes from team success. So, therefore, if you’re winning at the highest level, then all that individual stuff is going to come."

The 6-foot-5 guard is poised to receive a major payday this summer when he's expected to opt out of his contract. His next contract could pay him in the region of roughly $30-$40 million a season, but it seems safe to say that he will remain the same humble, well-adjusted man who hasn't forgotten his humble roots.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Austin Reaves reflects on his journey in SLAM Magazine interview