With fan voting for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game now open, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is pushing for his first appearance, and head coach JJ Redick says the rise was always part of the plan.
Reaves is producing a career-best 27.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Those numbers position the fourth-year guard among the top candidates for an All-Star berth.
“I would imagine it would mean a whole lot to him,” Redick told reporters when asked about Reaves’ chances. “Him and I have had discussions about how surreal it is for him to be playing at this level and in this position. I absolutely think he should be an All-Star this year.”
Redick said he warned Reaves against losing focus during the 82-game grind but praised the guard’s work ethic. “He consistently wants to get better, consistently wants more, and is willing to put in the work, then go out on the court and play hard enough to actually go for more,” Redick added.
The coach revealed that his confidence in Reaves dates back to their first conversation after Redick accepted the job last offseason. “Our first conversation when I took the job was, ‘You’re gonna be an All-Star,’” Redick said. “I actually said it because I believed it.”
Asked why he placed such a bet on a former undrafted rookie, Redick pointed to Reaves’ mentality. “I’m willing to bet on guys that are wired a certain way,” he explained.
While Reaves continues his All-Star push, the Lakers are monitoring a minor calf strain that recently sidelined him for multiple games. Redick said the medical staff will remain cautious with the guard’s return timetable.
Reaves showed promise as a rookie and has increased his production each season. Now, with All-Star balloting underway, the 25-year-old is on the brink of the recognition his coach long predicted.
Source: Lakers Nation
