LeBron James sends a SHOUTOUT to ‘pumped’ Austin Reaves and ‘hype man’ Tyrese Haliburton on IG story after Team USA’s warm-up show

The FIBA World Cup warm-ups are in full swing, with some great talent from the NBA representing Team USA. The roster includes the likes of DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr., New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, All-Star Anthony Edwards, and fan favorite Austin Reaves. Team USA has had a dominant showing in these warmup games. They recently finished their tune-up games this past Sunday with a record of 5-0. The star of these games has been Anthony Edwards, who has been showing his improved skillset, dropping 34 points to allow the USA to overcome Germany in their final game.

Heading into the tournament, the USA are considered favorites to take home the trophy, as they boast some all-NBA-level talent, but they will have to eventually run into the defending champions, Spain. Team USA is in Group C, which includes Jordan, Greece, and New Zealand. These games will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Manila. The two teams that come out on top in Group C will face the two top-seeded teams in Group D in the first of the knockout rounds. Group D comprises Mexico, Egypt, Lithuania, and Montenegro.

The final tune-up game between Germany and the USA was quite close, and budding Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves was a key component in helping the team overcome their opponents. Reaves managed to force a steal on the defensive end of the floor, which was then converted into a tremendous dunk.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton was alongside Reaves. He was not able to contain his excitement, and it showed, which turned into an iconic photo. Lakers star LeBron James took to Instagram to shout out the two players sharing the photo, saying “Y’all TOUGH this one!”. Lebron James himself is no stranger to the FIBA World Cup, winning a bronze in the 2006 championship and taking home the gold medal in 2007.

Team USA now looks poised to take on the challenge of winning the gold, as they have been nothing but dominant, going 5-0 in these tune-up games.

Along with star players, the team includes some future Hall of Fame coaches as well. They are led by the Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr as head coach. With the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and the Miami Heat‘s Erik Spoelstra as assistant coaches. Team USA is also joined by Gonzaga’s Mark Few as an assistant coach.

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How has Austin Reaves been for the Lakers?

Austin Reaves has been a solid and dependable player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has been coming up as a franchise favorite and has all the potential to be a star as he develops his game further. The Lakers recently signed the wing to a 4-year, $56 million deal, which fans around the league consider to be a huge steal. Reaves has been taken under the wing of NBA legend LeBron James as he looks to develop and expand upon his game under James’ guidance.

Reaves’ career hasn’t always looked this rosey. In fact, he went undrafted in the 2021 draft. He told teams in the second round not to pick him and that he had wanted to head to LA all along. Reaves put his faith in the franchise, and now it looks like it’s paid off.

Reaves averaged 7.3 points per game in his rookie year off the bench and averaged 23 minutes per game. In his second year, Reaves saw an increase in minutes and increased his scoring to 13 points per game, providing dependable points off the bench for the squad.

Where Reaves really shone, though, was in the playoffs. In his first-ever playoff game, Reaves dropped 23 points and scored clutch baskets towards the end in order to help the Lakers secure the victory. He went on to shout, “I’m him,” to the crowd.

Reaves went on to drop 23 points again in game 4 of the Grizzlies series, helping his squad secure a 117-111 victory. Reaves stats saw a huge jump in the playoffs as the team increased his minutes and put their faith in the young player.

Reaves averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in the 16 games played in the playoffs. It’s safe to say the Lakers now have a reliable wing, as Reaves seems to show up when his team needs him most. The young guard will only get better with time, as he recently got selected to represent the USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and will be alongside a stellar cast of NBA coaches and players.

In case you missed it:

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