51 points one night. 41 the next. From undrafted to a projected $240 million contract.

Austin Reaves just turned the entire NBA narrative upside down—again. He’s building his Legacy.

The kid from Newark, Arkansas who wasn’t good enough to get drafted is now averaging 34 points and 10 assists per game. He’s hitting game-winners in Minnesota. He’s scoring back-to-back 50 and 40-point games, joining Kobe Bryant and Jerry West in Lakers history. He’s playing alongside Luka Dončić and making it look like they’ve been partners for years.

And when the Lakers offered him $89 million this summer? He turned it down.

Why? Because he knew he was worth more. Because he bet on himself. Again.

That bet is about to pay $240 million.

The Path Nobody Expected

Reaves wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American. He wasn’t a one-and-done lottery lock. He played at Wichita State, transferred to Oklahoma, put up solid numbers, and still—STILL—didn’t hear his name called on draft night in 2021.

Not in the first round. Not in the second round. Not at all.

He signed with the Lakers on a two-way contract. The basketball equivalent of “we’ll see.” The kind of deal that comes with a locker in the corner and zero promises.

But here’s what happened: Reaves refused to play like someone grateful just to be there. He played like someone who knew he belonged. Scrappy defense. Smart cuts. Clutch shooting. High basketball IQ.

He didn’t play scared. He played hungry.

His rookie year, he earned real minutes. Second year, he became a rotation player. Third year, a starter. Fourth year, a playoff performer averaging 16+ points per game. Fifth year? He’s an All-Star playing next to a top-five player in the world.

Every single year, he forced the Lakers to give him more. Every single year, he proved the doubters wrong.

What He’s Doing Right Now Is Insane

Let’s put this in perspective: Reaves just scored 51 points with 11 rebounds and 9 assists against Sacramento—nearly a triple-double while dropping 50. The next night, he put up 41 against Portland.

92 points in two games. That puts him alongside Kobe, LeBron, Shaq, and Jerry West in Lakers lore.

But it’s not just the scoring. When LeBron James has been out, Reaves hasn’t just filled in—he’s elevated. In Luka’s first two games with Reaves and no LeBron, Dončić averaged 46 points on 62% shooting. The fit is perfect. Reaves can create for himself, which takes pressure off Dončić. But he’s not so ball-dominant that they clash. He shoots well, spaces the floor, and makes winning plays.

The Lakers front office spent all summer trying to figure out how to get Luka a co-star.

Turns out, they already had him.

Now, Here’s What This Means for You

You’re not Cooper Flagg. You’re not the number one pick everyone’s talking about. You didn’t dominate at Duke or Kentucky. Maybe you’re not even getting Division I offers.

Good.

Because the easy path creates soft players, and the hard path creates champions who know what they’re worth.

There Are Dozens of Ways to Make It

The NBA loves to sell you the Disney version: high school phenom → top college program → lottery pick → instant stardom. Clean. Linear. Perfect for TV.

But that’s just one path. Austin Reaves took a different one. So did:

• Fred VanVleet (undrafted, now making $40+ million/year)
• Khris Middleton (2nd round pick, became an NBA champion and All-Star)
• Draymond Green (2nd round, built a Hall of Fame career)
• Jimmy Butler (30th pick, became a franchise superstar)
• Malcolm Brogdon (2nd round, won Rookie of the Year)
• Nikola Jokić (41st pick, three-time MVP)

Different paths. Same formula: belief + relentless work. Check out our article on paths.

What Austin Did That You Can Do

Reaves didn’t have elite athleticism. He wasn’t the fastest guy or the highest jumper. He didn’t have a viral highlight mixtape.

What he had:

• Basketball IQ – He studied every possession, every matchup, every tendency
• Toughness – He guarded anyone, dove for loose balls, took charges
• Confidence – He took big shots without hesitation, even as a rookie
• Consistency – Every single year, he improved measurably
• Fearlessness – He never played like he didn’t belong

None of that requires being a top recruit. None of that requires five-star ratings or being on SportsCenter.

All of it requires choice. Your choice. Every single day.

The Real Test

Here’s the moment that defines careers:

When you don’t get drafted, or you go in the second round, or you’re buried on a G-League roster, or you’re on a minimum deal wondering if you’ll even make it to training camp—what do you do?

Do you complain? Make excuses? Blame the scouts, the system, the politics?

Or do you show up at 6 AM and get to work?

Austin Reaves chose work. Then he chose it again. And again. And again.

When he made the roster—he worked harder. When he earned minutes—he worked harder. When he became a starter—he worked harder. When he got a $53 million contract—he worked harder. When they offered him $89 million—he said no and kept working.

Every single time, he bet on himself. Every single time, he won.

Your Path Won’t Look Like His

Maybe you’ll go overseas first. Maybe you’ll grind in the G-League for two years. Maybe you’ll transfer schools. Maybe you’ll make a roster and get cut and have to claw your way back.

It doesn’t matter.

What matters is this: when everyone doubts you, when the path gets dark, when the contract is tiny and the minutes are scarce—do you believe?

Not just believe in some vague, inspirational poster way. But really believe. The kind of belief that wakes you up early. The kind that keeps you in the gym late. The kind that makes you study film when you’re exhausted. The kind that refuses to accept anything less than what you know you’re worth.

That’s the belief that turns undrafted into $240 million.

The Only Question

Five years ago, Austin Reaves was unsigned, undrafted, and uncertain.

Today, he’s an All-Star averaging 34 and 10, playing next to Luka Dončić, about to sign one of the biggest contracts in Lakers history.

The difference? He believed when nobody else did. And he worked like his life depended on it.

So here’s your question: When nobody’s watching, when the draft doesn’t call your name, when the contract is small and the doubters are loud—

What are you going to do?

Austin Reaves already answered that question.

Now it’s your turn.