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Reviewing Reaves in Red, White and Blue – NBA.com
Considering the uphill manner in which Austin Reaves broke into the NBA as an undrafted free agent, the possibility of representing Team USA may not have even been on his radar.
And yet, despite what was ultimately a disappointing 4th-place finish for the team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Reaves proved himself not only deserving of an American roster spot, but depended upon by his coach and teammates at the most crucial times – just as he was throughout the Lakers run to the Western Conference Finals.
Reaves came off the bench behind Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards in the backcourt, but, alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Mikal Bridges, Edwards and a rotating fifth teammate, closed most games.
The 25-year-old ended up with these numbers and ensuing ranks within Team USA:
In the eight games USA played (5-3), including a loss to Canada in a third-place game that saw the Americans miss three players due to illness, Reaves provided a similar type of energy to Coach Steve Kerr’s offense that he did for Darvin Ham against Kerr in the 2023 NBA postseason.
In short: Reaves can be depended upon to create a good shot for himself and convert it at an efficient rate, force his defender to commit a foul, or make the right pass to a teammate.
Reaves also helps in intangible ways, with his basketball IQ showing up from an eye test standpoint, and in terms of plus/minus (+7.6 for the tournament).
On the flip side, he was targeted defensively by some of the opponents with more collective size than this American roster, and with Team USA switching everything and not having much weak side help with big man Jaren Jackson Jr. often limited by foul trouble, that was at times an issue. Of course, having a player like Anthony Davis on the floor would have helped not just Reaves, but any of USA’s guards and wings.
Following Team USA’s semifinal loss to Germany, Reaves told assembled media in the mixed zone that they struggled to “get stops,” and made no excuses.
“Not good enough,” he said. “We lost, so that’s the moral of the day. It’s not good enough.”
Reaves’ disappointment didn’t keep him from being a good friend to former teammate Dennis Schröder, who’d go on to lead Germany to its first World Cup title as the MVP.
Up next for Team USA will be what’s considered the most important international competition historically in this country, the Olympics. That typically means the A Team, as we’ve seen with the Dream Team and the Redeem Team, in past years.
Whether Reaves gets that call with the best of the best American players is to be determined, but he has no shortage of fans within the USA Basketball brain trust after a terrific overall performance in his first time wearing the red, white and blue.
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