Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves received lofty praise from a rival executive in the Western Conference.
“He’s the best undrafted player since Ben Wallace, and that guy’s a Hall of Famer,” the exec said to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
There’s some competition for Reaves for that title just among active players. Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso and Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet all jump out.
Calling Reaves an undrafted player is also simultaneously accurate and a bit of a misnomer. He revealed in 2023 on All the Smoke the Detroit Pistons expressed interest in taking him 42nd overall, but he “kind of declined that” in the hope of finding a better fit.
The fact Reaves didn’t get picked wasn’t totally a reflection of how teams evaluated him. He and his representatives understood finding the right landing spot was better than simply getting drafted.
But that doesn’t change the executive’s broad point. Reaves has unquestionably achieved more on the court than anybody expected. He has continued to improve and his work across the 2024-25 season is his best yet.
The 26-year-old is averaging 20.2 points on 45.8 percent shooting along with 5.8 assists.
Ever since signing LeBron James in 2018 and then acquiring Anthony Davis, Los Angeles has felt too much urgency to let a lot of homegrown talent develop. Experience often trumps youth when a franchise is pursuing a championship.
Reaves is the obvious exception. He emerged as a key piece in L.A.’s 2023 playoff rotation, and he’s now an integral supporting player alongside James and Luka Dončić.
VanVleet’s $128.5 million contract with the Rockets was the biggest ever for an undrafted player when he signed it. Reaves can opt out of his current deal in 2026 and he might soar past that figure when the time comes.
