LeBron James didn't hold back in his praise of Austin Reaves following the Los Angeles Lakers' Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. In fact, LeBron even claimed that he knew Reaves was special right in the very first practice that he saw him.

Speaking to reporters in his postgame presser, James showed his love for the 24-year-old and called him a player with a “great basketball IQ.” The Lakers forward looked back at the first time he saw Reaves in practice and how he was convinced right there and then that he's a good fit alongside him.

Reaves went undrafted in 2021 and signed a two-way contract with LA in September of the same year. Just a month later, he landed a standard NBA contract.

“I knew from the first practice that he wasn't going to be a two-way for long … I've been around the game long enough to know great basketball IQ players … and the (guys) that fit with me,” LeBron said while also crediting former Lakers coach Frank Vogel for giving Reaves the opportunity to have significant playing minutes in his rookie season (via Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet).

Austin Reaves was sensational for the Lakers against the Grizzlies in their 2023 playoffs opener, dropping 23 points on top of three rebounds, four assists and one steal. He stepped up in crunch time for LA, going 5-of-5 in the fourth quarter for 14 points.

As LeBron James said, it's clear that Reaves is a pretty good fit not only alongside him but with the current Lakers roster. Regardless if James is only saying it now because Reaves is thriving, the fact remains that the former Oklahoma Sooners guard has earned his stripes.