Lakers News: Phil Handy Saw Austin Reaves’ Potential Before Rookie Season

Phil Handy told Austin Reaves to ‘shoot the f——g ball’ as soon as he met him: ‘You wanna make this team?’

During a podcast appearance, former Los Angeles Lakers assistant Phil Handy shared a story about Lakers guard Austin Reaves and how he knew Reaves would be special early on.

Lakers News: Phil Handy Saw Austin Reaves’ Potential Before Rookie Season

Austin Reaves has gotten better every season since signing with the Los Angeles Lakers as an undrafted free agent, but he’s reached star status during the 2024-25 campaign. Reaves has become a legitimate third option on a title contender alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and has every reason to feel confident in the Lakers’ championship odds. It’s almost unprecedented for an undrafted player like Reaves to rise to this level, but he’s prov…