Austin Reaves Says the Real Reason He Went Undrafted Is Honestly Kind of Brutal

Austin Reaves is not exactly shy about how he got overlooked. The Lakers guard sat down with The Dan Patrick Show on Friday and gave a pretty candid, almost painfully self-aware take on why no team called his name in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“I’m white, I’m unathletic,” Reaves said. “I could walk down the street and nobody knows who I am. I mean, I’ve had people ask me if I play tennis or baseball before basketball. So it’s just things like that.”

That’s the man who just signed a four-year, $185 million extension with the Lakers. The same guy who averaged a career-high 23.3 points last season, along with 4.7 boards and 5.5 assists. Five seasons in the league, and he’s gone from undrafted afterthought to one of the three most important pieces on a team that features Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler.

Reaves has always been the overlooked guy

This wasn’t a new feeling for him. Reaves said he felt like he was never going to get a real shot at the NBA, even though he believed he was capable. The chance finally came, and he grabbed it. But it took a while.

“I always felt like I was capable of it, but I didn’t know if the opportunity would present itself,” Reaves continued. “Once it did, I kind of got my foot in the door, and you know, took advantage of it.”

The 28-year-old guard has been a steady riser since joining the Lakers as a two-way player. His scoring jumped each season, and last year he shot 49 percent from the floor and 36 percent from deep. Not bad for a guy who says people assume he plays tennis.

Next season could be his biggest yet

The Lakers are putting a lot on Reaves next year. He’ll be expected to hold his own alongside Doncic and Kessler, two All-Star caliber players. That’s a lot of pressure for someone who wasn’t even drafted five years ago. But Reaves has a way of turning skepticism into fuel. And his honest, slightly self-deprecating explanation for going undrafted is just another reminder that the draft isn’t always right.

He’s been underestimated since high school. The difference now is that the whole league is paying attention.