Austin Reaves may not have had an overly significant impact on the Los Angeles Lakers last season, but there's no denying that this young man earned the respect of both his teammates and the fans alike. The incoming second-year shooting guard made some waves during his rookie campaign, and now he's hoping to build on the same for the upcoming season.
At this point, it is clear that Reaves is taking his offseason very seriously. He's putting in the work with the objective of becoming a more regular part of the team's rotation in 2022-23. The 24-year-old has been so locked in of late that apparently, he had an NSFW response when the Lakers asked him to take some time off:
Article Continues Below“He understands the opportunity that’s in front of him,” said Reaves' aegnt Aaron Reilly, via Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “Not just next year, but in general. He’s carved out a nice little niche for himself. … As a matter of fact, (the Lakers) told him to take a week off, but he’s like, ‘F–k that. I’m gonna work.’ So just looking forward to seeing the results.”
At 6-foot-5 and 206 lbs, Reaves doesn't exactly possess an NBA-type body. The former Oklahoma standout is well aware of this fact and this is exactly why he's doing all that he can to bulk up ahead of the new season:
“It’s my big focus,” Reaves said. “I go in there with a good attitude every day, and whatever they tell me to do, I do. Just putting my body in the best position so the rookie wall or whatever, it doesn’t hit you like that. And you can more push through it because you’re in better shape and better conditioning.”
If all goes according to plan, Austin Reaves could surprise some folks next season.