NEXT SZN WILL BE AUSTIN REAVES’ FIRST ALL-STAR SZN

WRITTEN + EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER

Name a better undrafted player in NBA history than Austin Reaves. We will wait…

While the 2025 NBA All-Star festivities are currently transpiring void of HIS presence, the man in the headband is on track for attendance in next season’s edition of the perennial pow-wow. HE has gotten better and better each year thus far in HIS young career. As a rookie, HE showcased enhanced “glue guy” capabilities and was one of the few silver linings in a lost Lakers season. As a sophomore, HE ramped up HIS aggression levels as the regular season progressed before HIS official coming out party throughout the 2023 postseason. Last year, HE truly began turning heads as HIS overall development continued to sprout while HIS lowkey elite playmaking ability started to take shape.

Now, we are witnessing HIM begin to truly turn the corner and level up. The numbers do not lie (19.1 PPG + 6.2 APG + 4.4 RPG + 1.2 SPG), and if HE is not the league’s best 3rd option than HE is undeniably in the top 2-3 of that discussion. Any concerns regarding how Reaves would respond to the blockbuster acquisition of Luka Doncic should have been put to bed after dropping a career-high 45 points just a few days after the mega move transpired.

It will take Doncic some time to shake off the rust after missing over a month with a calf strain. In the meantime, LeBron James should take some comfort in the fact that his ‘other’ co-star is currently playing the best basketball of his career (25.3 PPG + 6.8 APG + 5.8 RPG + 1.8 SPG in February so far).

Could Reaves be the best ‘other’ co-star in the history of LBJ Big 3’s?