Austin Reaves is becoming an early favorite for JJ Redick

Austin Reaves has been among the most popular figures within the Los Angeles Lakers roster since entering the NBA as an undrafted rookie in 2021. He rapidly established himself as a key piece of the rotation and has improved his game year-on-year. 

However, whenever a new head coach joins the ranks, everyone must prove themselves all over again. Each coach will have their own ideas and vision for how a team should play. It's up to the players to prove they can fit into that vision and be an impactful member of the rotation.

On Friday during the team's 123-116 win over the Suns, Reaves highlighted his importance to JJ Redick's version of the Lakers. The 26-year-old guard ended the night with 26 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals on 66.7% shooting from the field and 71.4% shooting from three-point range. 

When speaking to the media after the game, Redick credited Reaves' performance, noting that he's a "fantastic basketball player."

"He's a guy that has thrust and a pace to his offensive game in the half court, we need that," Redick said. "He was just fantastic in the second half. I knew he was a great player before I took this job, been around him since July. Every day, he just keeps getting better and showing more. I didn't realize he was this good. I knew he was good. I didn't realize he was this good. He's a fantastic basketball player."