ESPN's annual preseason player ranking lists the 100 best players in the NBA heading into the season, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves checked in at No. 66 on the list, which might be surprisingly low considering he was one of the best players for Team USA during the FIBA World Cup this summer. Austin Reaves's brother, Spencer, had an opinion on ESPN's player ranking for his younger brother, as he told Mirin Fader of The Ringer.

“I can say this confidently,” Spencer Reaves said. “[Austin] would never come out [and say this]. But he would look at the list and be like, ‘I'm actually higher than 66.'”

An NBA player thinking they should be ranked higher than they are by a collection of the media wouldn't exactly be the most groundbreaking thing to happen, and it's important to remember that this is what Austin Reaves's brother thinks about how his brother might react to the ranking, not his actual ranking.

Lakers, Austin Reaves

Austin Reaves 2023-24 NBA Season Outlook

Austin Reaves broke out last season for the Lakers, averaging 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on great shooting percentages (53/40/86). Reaves established himself as the clear third-best player for the Lakers next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and continued his rapid rise with a great summer for Team USA.

Reaves will look to build on that momentum heading into the 2023-24 NBA season after signing a new contract with the Lakers this offseason that could keep him in Los Angeles through the 2027 season.

Austin Reaves and the Lakers will tip off the season against the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, October 24th.