"He’s pretty good at everything": D’Angelo Russell praises Austin Reaves after golf trick shot goes viral on TikTok
Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell is amazed at how teammate Austin Reaves is seemingly good at everything he does. This, after a recent video of the incoming third-year player doing a golf trick shot in a driving range, went viral on TikTok.
In the video, which has already garnered over 427,000 views on TikTok and 3.5 million views on X, formerly Twitter, the Oklahoma Sooners product is seen hitting a golf ball while turning a left-handed iron upside down. More impressive, Reaves is right-handed and yet he sent the ball straight from the dispenser flying effortlessly.
Asked for his take on his younger teammate’s golf trick shot at the Lakers’ training session, Russell was left to underscore what for him was seemingly obvious about Austin Reaves:
“He’s pretty good at everything, to be honest”
Last season with the Lakers, Austin Reaves upped his performance after getting more playing time. He finished the regular season with averages of 13.0 points, on 51.9% shooting, 3.4 assists and 3 rebounds in 64 games.
He picked it up further in the playoffs, tallying numbers of 16.9 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds as he helped Los Angeles reach the Western Conference finals against eventual NBA champions Denver Nuggets.
His solid campaign in the 2022-23 NBA season impressed many in the league that saw him earn a spot in Team USA which saw action in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
In the offseason, Reaves agreed to stay with the Lakers on a four-year, $56-million maximum deal.
Austin Reaves at the 2023 FIBA World Cup
LA Lakers’ Austin Reaves was one of the 12 players selected to play for Team USA at the recently held 2023 FIBA World Cup jointly hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. He ended up as among the best-performing American players in the two-week joust.
In the eight games he played, the 25-year-old guard finished as the team’s second-leading scorer with 13.8 points per game, behind only Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards (18.9 PPG). He also had 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG and 1.3 SPG.
In the lead-up to the tournament proper, Team USA coach Steve Kerr spoke of what Reaves’ importance in the team, telling Sports Illustrated in an interview:
"He fits in wherever we put him, that’s the beauty of Austin. He’s a connector. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s physical, shoots and passes it. Just so poised out there all the time. He’s a guy who enhances any lineup that he plays with."
Unfortunately for Reaves and Team USA, they finished outside of the podium at fourth place, behind champion Germany, runner-up Serbia and bronze winner Canada.
Apart from Reaves and Edwards, also part of the team were Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Bobby Portis Jr., Paolo Banchero, Jaren Jackson Jr, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler and Brandon Ingram.