Lakers Austin Reaves took a veiled shot at his former teammate, Russell Westbrook, while praising current 6’5″ point guard D’Angelo Russell.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been hitting the headlines since the start of this year as they returned with a vengeance in the defense and won their eighth game out of eleven, including an exciting 122-112 victory over the Raptors.
The All-Star D’Angelo Russell appears to be helping the squad, as the shooting guard scored 18 points on 60% shooting to lead the team to a much-needed victory over the Raptors. This star athlete was sidelined for six straight contests after suffering a sprained right ankle. But he came back strong, finishing with a 10-for-17 performance overall and a 5-for-8 performance from beyond the arc.
What did Austin Reaves say about D’Angelo Russell?
Austin Reaves, in line with his teammates, was gushing in his praise of Russell, saying that the veteran point guard deserved all the credit for the victory because he didn’t make any “wild play ” during the game.
The second-year player continued by describing Russell as a really talented basketball player who plays with poise and control and refrains from trying to make a daring move in the middle of a game.
The Lakers guard also mentioned that Russell possesses a great deal of talent and that he always plays at his own pace. He heaped praise on Russell for hitting the incredible shorts in the fourth quarter because, in the guard’s opinion, very few people are capable of taking shorts in such a crucial situation.
What did Reaves say about Russell Westbrook?
Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers applauded D’Angelo Russell for not making ” a wild play,” which many fans of the NBA on Twitter believe to be a sneaky shade at his former teammate Russell Westbrook.
Lakers’ reporter Ryan Ward tweeted Austin’s statement, and most of the netizens are assuming that this was an indirect dig at the former MVP.
is this a shot at russ it feels like a shot at russ 😂
— possum possum (@possum346) March 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/RicoSuavee33/status/1634446720934326272?t=6vuQiWru0_yXloPP5kK5ow&s=19
“Plays the game the right way” pic.twitter.com/YUEgV6Xe0Q
— 🎡 (@MVPBron4x) March 11, 2023
Russell Westbrook sneak diss…#NBA #LeBronJames pic.twitter.com/3wTfKH9qJE
— MidCity L.A.Ⓜ️ (@23rdStand10thAv) March 11, 2023
Some people, however, also noted that Reaves’ remarks weren’t meant as a jab; rather, they were made to outline the very minimal requirements for a basketball player.
I love how everyone is saying this is a shot at russ when all Reaves did was describe the bare minimum for a competent basketball player 😂😂😂
— bagh (@baghdadsburner) March 11, 2023
https://twitter.com/jamal_0444/status/1634543030702161920?t=6daHMGn5hi18ZmLt7Da5GA&s=19
Undoubtedly, Austin Reaves is not the type of player to sabotage his current or former teammates, but the rumor persisted since Westbrook is the only point guard Austin has ever played with a reputation for erratic performance in the NBA.
Regardless of why Reaves made the comments he did, it is quite evident that he has a high opinion of D’Angelo Russell and that he thinks the latter possesses a special blend of abilities that make him an extremely important player for any club.
