TITLE: Austin Reaves Says Lon Kruger’s Praise at Oklahoma Turned NBA Dream Into Real Possibility
SLUG: austin-reaves-lon-kruger-nba-dream-realization
CONTENT:
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves said he first believed an NBA career was within reach when University of Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger told him he could become a first-round pick.
Speaking on the “Mind the Game” podcast hosted by LeBron James and Steve Nash, Reaves recalled the conversation that shifted his outlook. “I was at Oklahoma and Lon Kruger followed me out of practice one day and told me, ‘I think you can be a first-round pick.’ Once he said that, I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve got a chance,’” the 25-year-old guard said.
Kruger’s endorsement carried weight; the coach logged 35 seasons at the collegiate level, won 674 games and mentored future NBA players such as Buddy Hield, Trae Young and Mitch Richmond. He also spent three seasons leading the Atlanta Hawks (2000-2003).
Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021 and signed a two-way contract with the Lakers, has since developed into one of the league’s most efficient offensive guards. Although he never heard his name called in the first round, his production has surpassed that of numerous early selections, positioning him for a significant payday.
The Arkansas native added that confidence in his NBA ambitions started much earlier. He recounted telling a family friend at age nine that he wanted to play professional basketball, despite growing up in a town of roughly 1,000 residents where hunting and fishing were the dominant pastimes.
LeBron James, Reaves’ teammate throughout his Lakers tenure, also shared on the podcast what initially stood out about the young guard when he joined the team, further underscoring Reaves’ rapid rise from undrafted prospect to key rotation player.
Source: Lakers Nation
