Austin Reaves Coy About Interaction With Pistons Fan

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 8: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the game against the Detroit Pistons on November 8, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 8: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the game against the Detroit Pistons on November 8, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)

Austin Reaves Coy About Interaction With Pistons Fan

Originally posted on Lakers Nation | By Corey Hansford | Last updated Nov 9, 2026 3:22 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves may look like an unassuming player who is just happy to be here, but in actuality that is far from the case. Reaves has no problems going back and forth with opposing players and, as was the case against the Detroit Pistons, certain fans who have some words for him.

In the first half of the Lakers’ victory over the Pistons, Reaves was seen having a conversation with a fan sitting courtside. This kept up throughout the game leading to Reaves waving goodbye and pointing at the fan after he hit a dagger 3-pointer to ice the game late in the fourth, via Spectrum SportsNet:

Austin Reaves wasn’t leaving without saying bye https://t.co/Q2ibDh9QkZ

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 9, 2026

It was a great moment and showed that Reaves can be absolutely cold-blooded when needed to be and it was certainly necessary against the Pistons with Luka Doncic sitting out. But when asked about it after the game, Reaves declined to comment, pretending he had no idea what reporters were talking about, via Khobi Price of the California Post:

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." – Austin Reaves when asked about the interactions with the courtside fan https://t.co/9nXWsaxV8C

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 9, 2026

With no Doncic, Reaves stepped up into the that role as the team’s primary scorer and playmaker, something he is comfortable doing, as he showed last season. Reaves finished with 43 points, five rebounds and four assists against a Pistons defense many consider the best in the NBA. And in moving into that Doncic role, Reaves apparently inherited that desire to trash talk the fans and silence the crowd as well.

Reaves came into this season with a lot of pressure on him as he was rewarded with a new four-year max contract and the much higher expectations that come with it. There have been some struggles here and there with turnovers and a couple rough shooting nights, but with performances like this Reaves is showing the world that the Lakers made the right choice in keeping him around.

Austin Reaves praises Lakers in overcoming adversity to defeat Pistons

The Lakers never trailed in Detroit and led by as many as 26 points early in the game, but the Pistons fought all the way back to within one possession late. But the Lakers didn’t cave late and Reaves praised the team for overcoming that adversity to get the win.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Lakers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: