On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers, as is customary whenever they play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, brought a large crowd to the Thomas and Mack Center. The squad faced the Phoenix Suns in a replay of their first-round series from the previous postseason, with an undrafted player receiving a chance to play hero in the purple and gold.
With less than 10 seconds remaining, Los Angeles was down by one. Vic Law’s three-point attempt fell just short, but on the next miss, Austin Reaves was in position to grab the rebound and, while still in mid-air, bank in the game-winning basket.
Reaves was a player who some NBA Draft experts predicted would go in the second round. Reaves, a high-scoring guard who started his collegiate career at Wichita State before transferring to Oklahoma, averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game for the Sooners last season, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors.
The Lakers, like any other team, will use Summer League to analyze younger players and determine how they might fit into their system. Reaves had a quiet game, scoring 11 points and grabbing four rebounds, but this bucket drew a lot of good attention.
