"Fred VanVleet better": NBA fans at odds as executive compares Austin Reaves to Pistons icon

Modified Apr 08, 2025 15:47 GMT

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder - Source: Imagn — Austin Reaves continues to grab eyeballs with his performances - Source: Imagn

Austin Reaves has emerged as the third head of the LA Lakers' three-headed monster. Even when Luka Doncic and/or LeBron James have been out with an injury, he's stepped up for JJ Redick's team. Reaves is currently averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.7 three-pointers on 45/37/88 shooting splits.

Those numbers are impressive for any player, much more for one who wasn't even drafted. An unnamed Western Conference executive told ESPN that Reaves was the best undrafted player since Ben Wallace. Some fans disagreed with that take, saying that the Lakers guard is not better than Fred VanVleet.

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"Fred VanVleet better," one fan wrote on X.

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"The Fred Vanvleet disrespect and erasure is insane," another fan said.

"He doesn’t even clear FVV yet," an NBA fan said.

Other fans spoke about Reeves and his relationship with the Lakers.

"He was literally gonna be drafted at pick 42 by Detroit and purposely chose to stay undrafted to go to LA," one Pistons fan claimed.

"They’re gonna gas up Austin Reaves as much as they can and watch how later, they will use it to say this was a superteam to discredit Lebron if they (Lakers) win it all," one hoops fan commented."

"Rob Pelinka, you can’t fool me. Drop the anonymous act. I’m familiar with your game," one fan said.

Austin Reaves speaks about "stigma" against "white players"

In a recent interview with ESPN, Austin Reaves spoke about the stigma against "white players" in the NBA and his own thoughts about this group of players.

"You know, as a white guy in the NBA, I sometimes look at white players, and I'm like, 'They're not very good,'" Reaves told ESPN. "So, it's a stigma that I think is real."

His coach at the Lakers, JJ Redick, spent 15 years in the league and could certainly relate to what Reaves said.

"I think every guy in our shoes has experienced some level of this where you're going to be tested," Redick said to ESPN recently. "And truthfully, no matter how many times you pass that test, you're going to be tested again."

About the author

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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Edited by Saishyam Srikanth