Everyone loves an underdog story.

With the reception Austin Reaves received last night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay; it only shows that he has come a long way since coming into the NBA in 2021. The 25-year old was undrafted that year and opted to sign a two-way contract with the LA Lakers, then eventually was able to get a standard NBA contract.

Heading into the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, there were some people who were surprised with his inclusion to the line-up. When asked how he deals with criticism, he candidly answered, “It’s been like that my whole life, people always had something negative to say about me. Too skinny, not athletic enough, not skilled enough, you can go down the line, so I don’t see that changing in the future, honestly. So I just enjoy playing basketball and working on my craft, I’ve said this a million times, play the game the right way and I think the game will come full circle and it will reward you for doing that”.

The Laker-point guard was able to prove his critics wrong once more in the international stage as he played a vital role for the USA Basketball Team in their opener against the Tall Blacks in the prime-time tip-off last Saturday. He was able to cap off the night with 12 points 6 assists and provided the spark his team needed when the second unit came on the floor. The fans in the MOA arena were even treated to his ‘ice in my veins’ celebration as he went 2 for 2 from behind the arc. When asked if he felt like playing in the Staples Center with the raucous crowd last night, he had this to say with a smile on his face, “Yeah! It was fun, it was a lot of fun!”

For the young athletes aspiring to reach for the stars, keep that dream alive but always keep in mind to remain humble and just let the work do all the talking. Like what Reaves said, it will come full circle and you will be rewarded.