The Aporia · UCLA’s Mick Cronin gives Austin Reaves ultimate compliment

UCLA’s Mick Cronin gives Austin Reaves ultimate compliment – in golf

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Bolch, B. (2026, October 9). UCLA’s Mick Cronin gives Austin Reaves ultimate compliment – in golf. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/08/sports/uclas-mick-cronin-has-a-star-golfing-buddy-from-the-lakers/

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Quick Summary

Mick Cronin, UCLA's men’s basketball coach, says Austin Reaves, a Lakers guard, is an exceptional golfer and might be nearly as good as Steph Curry. When Reaves joined the Lakers five years ago, Cronin introduced him to golf at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, helping him navigate LA’s difficult public course access. Cronin also jokes that Reaves is a ball hog on the golf course, similar to his basketball playing style where he averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists last season.

Written by AI on 2026-10-09, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Mick Cronin, the UCLA men's basketball coach, praised Austin Reaves for his golfing skills during Big Ten media days in ROSEMONT, Illinois. When Reaves first arrived in Los Angeles five years ago, he had trouble finding public golf courses due to high demand and robotic tee-time management systems. Cronin introduced Reaves to a friend who took him to the prestigious Riviera Country Club, fostering their friendship. Despite being busy with coaching duties, Cronin occasionally joins Reaves for games, noting that Reaves might be nearly as good at golf as he is at basketball. Cronin even joked that if anyone in the NBA matches Reaves' golfing abilities, it would only be Steph Curry. This praise comes after Reaves signed a lucrative four-year contract extension worth $184.7 million with the Lakers last season.

Written for “UCLA Basketball Coach Praises Player” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Uncertain

1 of 17 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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not political

takes no side on a contested political question

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New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Who wrote this

Ben Bolch

60 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Also by Ben Bolch

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2026-10-28 · New York Post

UCLA’s football buzz isn’t reaching the student section — Bob Chesney has a plan to fix it

2026-10-26 · New York Post

There’s parity – and parody – in latest Big Ten football power rankings

2026-10-25 · New York Post

UCLA QB Ty Dieffenbach shows off his many talents – including defense

2026-10-25 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 60 articles by Ben Bolch →

Narrative

Claims (17 extracted, 1 hedged)

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Austin Reaves spots Mick Cronin five, maybe six shots a side whenever they play golf. asserted

they → spot → golf

It’s the least the star Lakers guard can do given how the UCLA men’s basketball coach hooked him up with his other favorite game. asserted

coach → ’ → game

When Reaves arrived in LA five years ago, he ran into a familiar problem for anyone new to the city. asserted

he → arrive → city

“Anybody who plays golf in LA knows you can’t get on public courses, you can’t get the tee time,” Cronin said Thursday at Big Ten media days. asserted

Cronin → play → days

“The robots take them all. asserted

robots → take → them

The governor’s even involved in stopping them. asserted

governor → ’ → them

So Cronin introduced Reaves to a friend who took him to Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. asserted

who → introduce → Palisades

“Next thing you know,” Cronin said, “they’re best friends.” asserted

they → know → ?

Cronin joins the games whenever he can, noting that he works and only has time to golf in the summer. asserted

he → join → summer

Reaves, who recently signed a four-year, $184.7-million contract extension after his best season with the Lakers, might be nearly as good a golfer as he is a shooting guard. uncertain

he → sign → Lakers

“If anybody in the NBA is better than him or as good as him,” Cronin said, “it would be Steph [Curry] and Steph only – he’s that good.” asserted

he → say → him

In typical Cronin fashion, he likes to give Reaves a hard time about being a ball hog. asserted

he → like → time

“My golfing buddy don’t pass it a lot,” Cronin said of the player who averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists last season, “so he shoots it a lot.” asserted

he → pass → it

Reaves also apparently doesn’t like to spend much of the money he’s made. asserted

he → like → money

“He’s been using my friend’s car for a year,” Cronin said. asserted

Cronin → use → year

“I’m telling you, he just bought a car last week, it’s unbelievable. asserted

it → tell → car

I need to get him to speak to the team about saving money.” asserted

him → need → money

UCLA’s Mick Cronin gives Austin Reaves ultimate compliment – in golf

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Claims (17 extracted, 1 hedged)