Austin Reeves was wanted by the German national team and thought he would fit in on occasion, but in an unexpected turn of events, he received a call-up from Team USA and accepted it instead.
Team USA head coach Steve Kerr explained his decision to include the Lakers guard on the team, saying he is one of the up-and-coming players in the NBA.
“For me after watching him kick our ass in six straight Western Conference Semifinal games, he was a very easy pick,” Kerr said of Reeves. “I think Austin is one of the young, up-and-coming players in this league. And what you look for in FIBA is versatility, you want size defensively and the ability to switch and guard multiple positions. And then you want playmaking. You want players who can shoot, but put The ball is also on the ground and they are good passers.
“Austin to me is a basketball player. He’s a guy who influences winning at a really high level. His story is pretty amazing considering he wasn’t made up two years ago and now he’s here playing for Team USA and being a top three player on the Lakers. It’s no accident. This guy can play and we have no doubts that he will make a huge impact for our team in the Philippines.”
Last season, Reeves averaged 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.8 minutes per game for the Purple and Gold.