Austin Reaves dad Brian Reaves played for Arkansas State Red Wolves in the 1989 season. Brian recorded 384 assists during his college basketball career.
Austin is a guard for LA Lakers in the NBA. The 6 feet 5 inches tall emerging basketball player comes from an athletic family background with all his household members having played collegiate basketball over the years.
After initially going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, Reaves made his NBA debut playing alongside Russel Westbrook against the Phoenix Suns on 22 October 2021 scoring eight points off the bench.
It didn't take him long to showcase his potential and make an impact, as he hit a match-winning 3-pointer in a thrilling victory over the Mavericks later that year.
The Hillbilly Kobe (his nickname) showed signs of making it big from the very early days in Cedar Ridge High School winning consecutive Class 2A state titles in his first two years. He was even named MVP of the state tournament after averaging whooping 43.3 points per game.
The Lakers guard kept climbing through the ranks playing college basketball for Wichita State and later transferring to Oklahoma Sooners.
Austin Reaves Parents Were Athletes
Austin Reaves parents are Brian Reaves and mom Nicole Wilkett. Austin was born on 29 May 1998 in Newark, Arkansas.
Austin was raised in a household that shared immense love and passion for the game. It is imminent that the Los Angeles guard inherited the interest in basketball from his old folks.
Growing up on a 300-acre farm, the options were quite obvious for him; either to work on the farm or commit to sports. No wonder, he decided to follow in his guardians' footsteps and pursue a basketball career.
The Lakers guard feels blessed to have parents who played Division-I college basketball back in the day. He often credits their continuous support, guidance and motivation for whatever he has achieved to date.
They were very demanding of his athletic performance from the beginning and often pointed out the areas he could have done better after the match so that he could look after them and improve further.
Fast forward to today, Brian and Nicole are extremely proud of their offspring's achievements. They are often seen in the arena cheering for their son and the team.
Brian Excelled in College Basketball
Brian was a prominent basketball player renowned for his floor game back in the day. He was a three-year starter on the Kokomo High School team.
The 6 feet 1-inch tall guard led the Wildkats to the final of the state championship during his senior year in the 1988-89 season. He returned impressive figures averaging 10.3 points to go with 6.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game en route to becoming the MVP of the tournament.
After finishing his high school career with an impressive tally of 726 points and 528 assists, he joined Arkansas State University for the 1989-90 season.
Brian continued to excel during his college basketball tenure as well and recorded a total of 384 assists, the third-highest in the history of the Red Wolves basketball team.
Nicole Wilkett Also Played For Arkansas
Nicole was an all-conference forward for the Red Wolves from 1990 to 1992.
She also relished a successful collegiate career playing for the Arkansas State basketball team. What was even more impressive is the fact that she averaged 21.3 points in her senior season.
The emerging guard speaks very highly of his mother, remembering Nicole as his biggest supporter and critic from day one. Austin remains exceptionally thankful for all of her teachings and often texts her first after every game.
In an interview with the NBA, the Lakers star said, "She definitely gives me some constructive criticism but also tells me how proud she is of me and how much she loves me. It means a lot that every game, good or bad, I get a text from her."
Austin Was Inspired From His Brother
Austin Reaves brother Spencer Reaves is also a professional basketball player. Spencer was born on 23 December 1995 in Newark.
The infinite love and passion for the sport run deep in the blood of Reaves menage. Spencer instilled belief in his younger sibling to pursue a professional career in basketball as he regularly pushed Austin to the gym and practice sessions.
The Reaves duo spent the vast majority of their childhood together. They grew up competing against each other in not just basketball, but also golf, tennis, and board games.
The competitive spirit encouraged them to focus on continuous improvement and get the best out of each other.
Spencer Currently Plays In Germany
The senior Reaves initially attended Cedar Ridge High School and won the 2A state titles playing alongside the younger Reaves.
He joined North Greenville University after high school and competed in the NCAA Division. Reaves later moved to Central Missouri University and played a total of 85 games across three seasons.
He scored in double figures in 53 out of 56 games during his last two seasons at UCM. He further made his name for his exceptional scoring prowess netting 20 points or more a whopping twenty-two times.
Spencer began his professional career with the Spanish side Azpeitia Azkoitia Iraurgi Saski Baloia in 2018. He later joined CB Tizona Burgos for the 2020-21 season. After playing for three years in Spain, he shifted to Germany and played one season for the Bayer Giants Leverkusen.
Reaves is currently representing the Brose Baskets Bamberg, Division I team in Germany competing in the Bundesliga and FIBA Europe Cup.
Austin Reaves Girlfriend Jenna Barber
Austin has been dating Jenna Barber since 2014. They are high school sweethearts from Newark, Arkansas.
The Lakers guard first met with Barber while attending Cedar Ridge High School. Their chemistry clicked right away and it didn't take them long to fall in love with each other.
More than eight years down the lane, they still share the same love and compassion for one another. It might only be a matter of time before they walk down the aisle and bind themselves into a marital relationship.
Jenna Works at Newark Pharmacy
Jenna was born as a twin child of Sandra and Brian Barber on December 20 2020 in Newark. She has a sister named Jordan.
Barber studied at the Arkansas Community College at Batesville after graduating from Cedar Ridge High School.
According to her Facebook bio, Jenna is currently working at a pharmacy called NewarkRx. She has been employed there for more than three years since joining the company in August 2019.
Barber also follows basketball closely; she is a massive Lakers fan. She has shared an abundance of photos on social media of her attending the arena to root for Austin and the team.
