Austin Reaves Details How 1 Draft Decision Changed His Career

The Los Angeles Lakers found and developed Austin Reaves into a very serviceable player.

He stood there, paid his dues, earned his stripes, and worked his way up the rotation and all the way to a big payday.

Notably, none of that could’ve happened.

As the Arkansas product recently told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on All The Smoke, it was all a product of him and his agents making a risky bet during the NBA Draft.

Austin Reaves bet on himself by choosing to go undrafted.

NEW episode of #AllTheSmoke with Austin Reaves drops tomorrow. �� pic.twitter.com/UEWtnuH6ta

— SHOWTIME Basketball (@shobasketball) July 20, 2023

Apparently, Reaves reached out to the Detroit Pistons — who intended to take him with the No. 42 pick — not to pick him, as he was looking forward to getting a chance to play for the Lakers.

That’s not out of ego or because he was a Lakers fan or anything of that sort.

He explained that his agency had sort of put up a list of team tiers for him, listing the ones that were a better fit and gave him the best opportunity to make the roster.

Reaves claims that as much as he wanted to hear his name called in the Draft, it was all about playing the long game, knowing that the Lakers wanted someone for a two-way spot, and betting on himself to be their guy.

Fast forward to today and that gamble paid off.

He just got almost $60 million and will be tied to the organization for the next four years, has become a fan favorite, and could have a long and successful career with the Purple and Gold.