It’s hard to measure.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It won’t appear in box scores.
asserted
It → appear → scores
It’s invisible yet omnipresent.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s leadership — and not from who you may think.
uncertain
you → ’ → who
While the Lakers are unequivocally Luka Doncic’s team, someone else’s voice needs to boom in the locker room in order for them to be successful.
asserted
them → need → room
In order for the Lakers to be successful, Reaves needs to become a leader.
asserted
Reaves → need → ?
The thing about Reaves is he’s deeply likable.
asserted
he → ’ → Reaves
After the Lakers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2021, he immediately won over reporters at media day by joking about his nickname “Hillbilly Kobe.”
asserted
he → sign → nickname
As soon as he entered the Lakers locker room, he won over LeBron James.
asserted
he → enter → James
Reaves would make bleating noises whenever James spoke to the media to imitate a goat (because James is considered one of the greatest players of all-time).
asserted
James → make → time
James would shoot him a look and laugh.
asserted
James → shoot → look
A similar thing happened after the Mavericks stunned the basketball world by trading Doncic to the Lakers in February 2025.
asserted
Mavericks → happen → February
Reaves and Doncic started lovingly teasing each other, interrupting one another during their on-camera interviews and trash-talking each other.
asserted
Reaves → start → other
Their brotherly bond was so strong — on and off the court — that Doncic let Lakers’ brass know that they needed to retain Reaves when he opted out of his $14.9 million player option this summer.
asserted
he → let → option
The Lakers went on to sign Reaves to a four-year, $180 million deal, the richest contract ever for a player who went undrafted.
asserted
who → go → player
His teammates respect him for his palpable competitiveness, but they also love him for the levity he brings.
asserted
he → respect → levity
So much so that Warriors coach Steve Kerr brought up Reaves, unprovoked, when asked last season what characteristics he values most in a player.
asserted
he → bring → player
“I coached him in the World Cup,” Kerr said of Reaves in April.
asserted
Kerr → coach → April
“I watch the Lakers.
asserted
I → watch → Lakers
You can tell that everybody loves playing with him.
asserted
everybody → tell → him
He’s a competitor.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He loves the game.
asserted
He → love → game
Hard to find those qualities all the time, frankly, especially for somebody who has a lot of skill.
asserted
who → find → skill
Steph [Curry] you can find that.”
asserted
you → find → that
Reaves took major leaps on the court last season.
asserted
Reaves → take → court
In October, he had back-to-back 51-point and 41-point performances.
asserted
he → have → performances
In a game against Denver in March, he purposely missed a free throw, caught his own rebound and then made a buzzer-beating floater, helping spark what would end up being a 15-2 run that month.
asserted
what → miss → floater
Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points on 49% shooting (36% from deep), 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game last season.
asserted
Reaves → average → game
This season, his biggest focus needs to be growing his leadership the same way he has grown his game.
asserted
he → need → game
See, Doncic is the type of guy who leads by example.
asserted
who → see → example
He pours his heart out on the court.
asserted
He → pour → court
But he’s not exactly a talker.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
Reaves needs to assume that role.
asserted
Reaves → need → role
He has had plenty of time to study for it.
asserted
He → have → it
Reaves played alongside James for five seasons.
asserted
Reaves → play → seasons
He saw how he managed a team.
asserted
he → see → team
Now it’s up to him to become a vocal leader.
asserted
it → ’ → him
Apparently, he has already begun assuming that role.
asserted
he → begin → role
“Since the guys have been back, Austin has been the leader in the gym every single day,” Lakers general manager and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said Thursday.
asserted
Pelinka → say → operations
It’s a good sign.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
