Kyle Kuzma, a big for the Washington Wizards, voiced his appreciation for Austin Reaves, a guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who is currently representing Team USA in advance of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Reaves has mostly displayed his talent from the bench as Team USA has been practicing for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which starts later this month.

Reaves had a great sequence in a recent game against Spain that included a difficult basket on one end and a defensive play on the other.

Reaves, 25, had a big effect for the Lakers in just his second season in the NBA, and this offseason, he’s been rewarded in many different ways.

Reaves not only earned a berth on the USA team but also inked a new four-year contract with the Lakers in free agency.

Reaves averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc in 2022-23. From his rookie season, when he scored 7.3 points per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from 3-point range, he has made significant progress.

In the 2022-23 season, Reaves’ breakout season helped the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals. Despite having only the No. 7 seed in the West, the club defeated the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors to get there.

Kuzma, a former Laker who won a championship with the franchise in 2019-20, clearly admires Reaves’ game.

It’s encouraging to see Reaves thrive in a bench role for Team USA, since it demonstrates how adaptable his game is. Reaves thrived in the starting lineup for the Lakers down the stretch of the 2022-23 season, but he’s also played off the bench for the team in his first two NBA seasons.

The Lakers are hopeful that as Reaves’ popularity grows throughout the NBA, his game will improve as well.

If it happens, Los Angeles should be one of the greatest teams in the Western Conference in 2023-24, led by Reaves, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, and LeBron James.