The shooting guard, who had a significant impact on the game against the Magic, had a humble upbringing in a small town in Arkansas and entered the NBA after going undrafted.

There are 27 other cities in the United States that are also named Newark. There is really nothing new here.

Austin Reaves, who is now 24 years old and stands 1.96 meters tall, was born on a farm in one of these communities, which is in the state of Arkansas and has a population of approximately 1,200 people. He is easily mistaken for a tall city dweller.

However, he is a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and recently had the game of his life. He scored 35 points as his team defeated the Magic by a score of 111-105.

Even though Anthony Davis had a mediocre game and was playing without LeBron James, who was sidelined with an injury, he still managed to score the final 10 points for his team. The ‘Hillbilly Kobe’ had a very successful evening overall.

As a result, he became known as “Hillbilly Kobe,” which was a moniker given to him by an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma because of his offensive abilities.

The young man who spent his childhood playing baseball was introduced to basketball by his older brother Spencer. Spencer had previously competed in basketball for Juaristi in the EBA and Tizona Burgos in the LEB Oro before relocating to Germany, where he presently plays for Brose Bamberg. The young man’s family played baseball with him until he was a teenager.

Austin quickly started to show off his basketball skills, which he had no doubt acquired from his parents. His mother finished her collegiate career at Arkansas State University with a point-per-game average of 21.3, while his father holds the record for the third-most assists in the school’s annals.

The shooting guard had a career year in high school in which he averaged 32.5 points per game and had a game in which he scored 73 points.

His primary issue was the persistent injuries to the labrum in both shoulders that forced him to have surgery; yet, this did not prevent him from being approached by multiple colleges.

He decided to enroll at Wichita State University, where he developed his skills over the course of two years.

After that, he submitted his transfer request to Oklahoma, which necessitated a one-year waiting period in accordance with NCAA regulations. He didn’t squander a single second.

He improved his body and put on over 10 kilograms of muscle in a short amount of time. During his final season at the university, he put up an average of 18.4 points per game.

But when it came time for the draft in 2021, nobody paid any attention. The Lakers gave him a contract that gave them the option of playing him in the G League when they signed him to a two-way deal in August.

It didn’t take him long to win a spot for himself on the squad thanks to his shot, his knowledge of the game, and above all else, his hard work. LeBron James, an avowed enthusiast, was the first person he persuaded to let him play for the team.

He was also helped by the multiple injuries that the Angelinos sustained on the outside. It was a dream come true for him when he made his debut in the NBA on October 22.

He shared his enthusiasm for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant with his grandma, who was often his viewing companion when they went to the games.

In spite of all the odds, being successful with the Lakers

“I was a huge Laker fan growing up. It feels unreal to be playing for this organization. There are moments when I have to pause what I’m doing and give it some serious thought. I was up against an insurmountable mountain of obstacles. After his breakout performance against the Magic, Reaves reflected on the fact that he was never even selected in a draft.

He brings to mind Alex Caruso, another player who won the hearts of fans via his consistent effort but ultimately defected to the Bulls despite their affection for him.

Reaves finished his second season in the NBA with a scoring average of 12.0 points, a three-point shooting percentage of 38.0%, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.

He has proven in the past that he can be relied upon in crucial moments, such as in December 2021, when the Mavericks were about to win the game and he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat them.

That was a significant accomplishment, but it can’t compare to what he went through against the Magic.