Austin Reaves and Team USA were handed their first loss of the 2023 FIBA World Cup this week at the hands of Lithuania.
While many on the American side failed to perform to expectations in the 110-104 defeat, Reaves had a particularly brutal game.
Not only did he fail to play well offensively, recording seven points on 1-of-4 shooting in 13 minutes of action, but he was a huge liability defensively. The opposing side was targeting him so much that Team USA head coach Steve Kerr had to remove him from the game.
Reaves also found himself the subject of open ridicule at the hands of Lithuanian players.
In the aftermath, Reaves was asked about his thoughts on the disrespect he got from the Lithuanian side.
“There’s been many times in my career where people looked at me sideways or done stuff so it’s basketball and at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter,” he said.
What’s interesting about the whole thing is that the player who most taunted Reaves, Vaidas Kariniauskas, offered a surprising rationale for his actions following the game.
“I played with his brother [Spencer] last year,” he said. “I talked with [Spencer] before the game, and he said, ‘Give [Austin] a trash talk.’ So I gave him that.”
How will Reaves ultimately bounce back from his disappointing performance? Time will tell.
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