Austin Reaves shares a controversial opinion on being a white guy in the NBA

Austin Reaves is a huge contributor in helping the Los Angeles Lakers scale its heights. Over the years, he has emerged as the No. 3 scoring option for the team. He has steadily channeled his energies into the sport to break all stereotypes that he has been subject to. Being a white player, he has proven that they, too, can emerge victorious in basketball.

In a recent interview with the NBA, Austin Reaves opened up about being a white player in a game dominated by the African American community. He shared, "You know, as a white guy in the NBA, I sometimes look at white players, and I'm like, 'They're not very good.' he further added, "So, it's a stigma that I think is real."
With the controversial statement, he also added that this fuels him to be a better player on the field. Earlier, his head coach, JJ Redick, also white, commented on the stigma that he had faced. He shared with ESPN, "I think every guy in our shoes has experienced some level of this where you're going to be tested." He further added, "And truthfully, no matter how many times you pass that test, you're going to be tested again."

Having said that, Austin Reaves's skill on the basketball court has highly impressed the stars in the league. Speaking to ESPN, LeBron James shared that they had recognised his spark early on. He shared, "I saw that early, man." He continued, "When we picked him up, I went back and started watching his Oklahoma highlights and stuff and seeing the way he could handle the ball and his creative [side], to be able to create shots off the bounce. His competitive fire, his drive. ... I could see it. I could see he had a spirit about him. He had an energy about him."
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Additionally, Luka Doncic has also added, "Basketball-wise, I already knew he was that good. But just being around it and seeing him do that [score 45 points in a recent victory against the Indiana Pacers], it was [a] higher [realization]. I mean, the expectation is that high. I think he has the potential to be an amazing player. He already is." Reaves continues to be a highly bankable player for the team.