Reaves: the "hillbilly Kobe" who revolutionized the NBA with the Lakers

[{"selector":"#anim-200c73f3-8406-4bfa-9a46-41cc8e3dd58f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] Alberto Clemente REAVES The "hillbilly Kobe" who revolutionized the NBA with the Lakers AUSTIN

[{"selector":"#anim-320ebaac-ea99-4df2-8192-ecbbf10902cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5b1e74d-1ecc-40ea-854d-94147f509174 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.487703340958635%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] Austin Reaves is becoming one of the Lakers' biggest supporting players.

[{"selector":"#anim-3bca9d26-227b-4bea-bdec-7ed969be80cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 231.01341%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fe5001d-5509-41c8-8cb3-854032cc051b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] Undrafted and unglamorous, he's earned the respect of the Lakers fans and LeBron James in just two seasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-5df520c4-e3b3-47bb-9611-44d4d5c8ec5d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.40015%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d606af24-ddd0-428c-a194-4532a2b3b51a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] With offensive instinct and an outside shot, he manages well on both sides of the court and controls the ball very well.

[{"selector":"#anim-639cabaf-2e08-4d29-97b9-798b340fbc1c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 231.01341%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b72d03f0-04e6-486e-b717-d433d2708978 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] He is capable of managing important moments, doing many things right and very few wrong.

[{"selector":"#anim-34bd8970-6d2e-4c6f-b7b6-e2087336d811","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.90347%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4da29ca2-ac76-40da-a379-024875624248 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(4.1938107969683855%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] Like Alex Caruso before him (the White Mamba), Reaves also carries a nickname associated with Kobe Bryant: Hillbilly Kobe.

[{"selector":"#anim-5b08cd30-0f9c-4a1d-971f-54daf8646256","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 157.00800%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bedca1b9-b23e-434f-bf49-2e4c63903bf8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.284090668096308%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] He grew up on a backwater farm in Arkansas and the nickname was given to him by a coach at the University of Oklahoma, which he attended after spending two years at Wichita State.

[{"selector":"#anim-19f4c186-2645-483c-b0bc-0e1d5c074e17","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1058a1ee-31f0-407a-93ac-ec7872cd4a8d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] His nickname fit him well: he and his grandmother were Kobe fans and both watched the guard's games together.

[{"selector":"#anim-3b40ef9e-09af-4d10-921b-5d00296103b5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.40015%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5c25464-fa45-4b12-85b1-fcd501addf7c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(8.007123191021558%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] In Oklahoma he put up 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Sentenced to the second round of the draft, he opted not to be drafted and instead be able to control his own future.

[{"selector":"#anim-27b54527-a72e-4a9b-ba8c-f0b2c1dbc350","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5a1af63-1fb7-4a11-b124-61ebe144fb3b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.7299270072992701)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"forwards"}] He did it: the Lakers offered him a contract and he slipped into the rotation in the face of last season's plague of injuries.

[{"selector":"#anim-f76c523f-10d7-4f8c-ac0d-455f2506e25a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3946a4f-06fd-4bdc-85d8-cb3dbd09c44f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.12345709277238391%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] After averaging just 7 points last year, he has increased that number to 13 this season, close to 40% in triples.

[{"selector":"#anim-dd10be2f-0f1b-43a6-ab0b-592c3d6fc1cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.90347%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6fa4f44f-6f6b-43e1-8b3a-32335b6a0f6d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-18.46590889956145%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] His personality on the court and his ability to control the time of the games have allowed him to be respected by teammates and rivals.