Austin Reaves just signed a $185 million contract with the Lakers. So when a random fan handed him a single dollar bill on a golf course last week, he could have laughed it off or just stuffed it in his pocket. Instead, he had a plan for it.
“Oh thank you, I needed that,” Reaves said. “I’ll put this to my niece’s college fund.”
That quick exchange, caught on video and shared online, feels like a perfect snapshot of who Reaves is. The guy went undrafted in 2021. He started on a two-way deal. Now he’s the Lakers’ best internal development story in years — maybe ever — and he’s still out there joking with fans about a single dollar like he’s not worth nine figures.
A Long Way From Undrafted
Reaves came into the league with zero expectations. The Lakers gave him a two-way contract after the 2021 draft, then converted it to a standard deal before that season started. He’s worked his way from a guy fighting for minutes to a guy the franchise is building around post-LeBron.
This past season he played 51 games, averaging a career-high 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.1 steals. He shot 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from three and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line. A lingering calf injury probably cost him an All-Star nod, but the numbers speak for themselves.
The Lakers’ New Backcourt Bet
With LeBron James expected to leave in free agency, the Lakers are leaning hard on a starting backcourt of Reaves and Luka Doncic. The two have already shown real chemistry on the court. When both are healthy, the Lakers have been competitive in ways that surprised a lot of people.
That’s the bet now. Can Reaves keep rising? Can he be the second star next to Doncic on a team that expects to contend? The money says yes. The $185 million says the Lakers are all in.
And somewhere, that dollar bill is going straight to his niece’s education. Reaves hasn’t forgotten where he came from, even if his bank account looks a lot different now.
Leave a Comment