[McMenamin] Austin Reaves on Luka Doncic: “He’s one of my best friends on this planet. I talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better and I tell him I’m not a coach”
This implies Reaves has friends on other planets
Reaves to San Antonio? 🧐
Reaves for the guy drafted before Luka, who says no ?
Austin Reaves is a cosmic being
Wemby: “I don’t like him like that.”
Wemby
Austin Reaves is a Monstar confirmed
While this allows the possibility that he has better friends on other planets, the inference lies on your reading instead of his statement
Meap?
A court in the middle of a casino conference room is crazy
How often does a high arcing 3 hit the ceiling
Ceilings are pretty high in ballrooms, to make room for sound and lighting equipment. But I’m sure most players could shoot a moonshot that scrapes the ceiling. 
Ballrooms are called ballrooms because you can ball in these rooms.
A lu dort three is hitting that thing every time
[Norway has entered the chat]
It’s pretty freaking cool tbh
Bro I used to play AAU tournaments in ballrooms lmao
Yeah this is nothing special or out of the ordinary lol
Yea you guys are right. We’ve ALL played basketball in a vegas resort ballroom, typical childhood experience
Fuckin redditors man lmao
Nobody says you had to have played in them. If you watch enough amateur games, you’ll see it. Also mine was in Florida, not Vegas so there.
I mean, they even did this in the bubble…
Especially when summer league is in Vegas every year it’s not that hard to expect. Had no clue about the aau/amateur games in places like that but fully expected them based on summer league alone
This is a self-report more than anything. Yes, some people on a basketball sub actually like the game outside or the drama. Some even played.
NBA teams practice in ballrooms all the time. Some college teams during the tournament. I practiced in ballrooms as a kid when we had a road tourny. A friend’s kid just had a tournament where the games started in a ballroom before advancing to an event center as the bracket narrowed.
I’m shocked that you’re shocked tbh
Look up battle 4 Atlantis highlights. Whole ass college games in a conference room
I don’t know why I picture it folding up into a suitcase, but I wish it did.
Real life 2K court.
R/liminalspace leaking
such a uniquely american aesthetic
They’re not even hiding the gambling/rigging
lol Luka always gets super close with his backcourt mates (Brunson, Kyrie, and now AR). Made the WCF with Brunson, then the Finals with Kyrie, so logically he should win an NBA title with AR lmao.
If anything AR wins a title without Luka once they split /s
“Delet this”
Lukers fans probably
AR also tends to make friends with the people he plays with. That fiba team a couple of years ago all still seem really close
Mikal Bridges showing Reaves’s jersey like a long lost lover was hilarious
Lakers would need a contending roster for that to happen
Yeah sadly that’s usually how it works lol.
With how it’s currently constructed, the Lakers roster is gonna need a few overachievers to make a splash. We’ll see though. You never know.
I mean you say that, but this team is better than the wcf team he had so it could happen. Luka is better than he was and Ar is better than Brunson was at the point. Supporting cast is kind of a wash, but walker is astronomically better than Powell if your goal is a ring.
Luka is a contending roster.
If Kessler is as strong defensively as the lakers apparently think, then they will be. Obviously there is some question about Kessler, but people shouldn’t be assuming this roster isn’t good.
good thing about Kessler is he doesn’t need to worry about offense and just focus on defense. Those lobs/passes will come to him with AR and Luka as back court
Brunson and Kyrie are two top 10-15 guards in last decade though, idk if Reaves got it like that tbh. Lakers gonna need to add some pieces.
Afaik Brunson has always been Luka’s best friend, they still give each other shit about their cowboys and eagles rivalry lol.
LOL I remember the “Luka’s Son” jersey (or at least I think that’s what it said). Loved their dynamic on and off the court back in Dallas.
You know those two aren’t actually “best friends” though right…? Luka 100% has a LOT of people he is closer friends with, and JB has extremely public friendships much closer than Luka, nevermind what’s in his actual private life.
Anyone else feel 30% of professional athletes also play golf?
I wonder why so many athletes also love golf
They love competition and golf is a low risk, low exertion outlet that still feels like exercise.
Also huge dividends early on from playing consistently so easy to get addicted when you see improvement
A competive sport to pick up as you retire and grow older.
Also a status symbol. Country clubs are a great place to hang out with other rich people and get connected.
Go to a golf tournament as well and the sponsors are all luxury sponsors. Golf can be this for everyone, but as you move up the chain it’s elitist
Buddy of mine ran into Steph Curry at a country club here in LA and got to chat with him for a bit cuz their parties were right behind each other on the course. The initiation fee at that country club is $250k. So yea it’s about as elite of a status symbol as there is for most folks.
and golf cart girls.
https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-08-2023/OfMqoX.mp4
Plus I imagine they have rules in their contracts saying they can’t do certain risky things. I can’t remember which player it was but decades back a player on his rookie contract was riding a motorcycle, crashed and was heavily injured and if I remember right couldn’t play again at an NBA level. It was in his contract to not ride a motorcycle too
If someone’s paying millions to play ball and puts in the contract that I can’t ride, bet your ass I’m not riding
It doesn’t void their contract.
Probably because it’s challenging, it can be competitive and it’s a good time with the boys.
Fun game, an active and outdoor activity, great networking, allows for competition, and most importantly, low injury risk
It’s a rich people sport
No necessarily I got my clubs from FB marketplace and go to driving range for 10 bucks for a large bucket of golf balls, or go golfing on a public course.
But if you want to become a member of private club and 2K+ worth of clubs then yes golf is expensive.
Bingo. Wealthy folks (most of them are old) like playing golf. And it’s a great way for them to socialize and make connections.
Golf is getting very young and not very wealthy quickly
You must not have been to a decent golf course and the amount of money needed to invest in golf clubs. Those fees are not cheap. Which proves my point, it’s a wealthy sport. Basketball? I can just buy a ball and go to a court or indoor gym for much less!
Mate, you can get a good set of used clubs for under 500$ that will get you to the same level or above any athlete playing golf for fun.
Sure, the finer hold clubs have expensive green fees, but thats like comparing playing basketball pick ups at the local gyms being cheaper than going to the most expensive gyms in your city.
Golf is more expensive than some sports sure, but just because golf has more expensive high end options doesn’t mean the sport itself is not very accessible to normal people.
That’s not the point I was making though. Sure it’s doable. You can buy the cheapest club and make a course at your backyard and call it a day. My point is that golf is “generally” associated with wealthy because it’s a social and corporate connection game for them, especially for “professional” athletes. And in comparison to basketball or football, it’s more expensive. It’s not something you want to pay for daily. Serious golfers play more a lot in one week. It’s more of a once of month or twice month for average person for a decent golf course. Whereas basketball or football, you can go to a school and play for free.
I mean the existence of CCs doesn’t change what I’ve said
Over the last 5-10 years the average golfer is significantly younger and less wealthy than previously, and that’s not up for debate
Less wealthy doesn’t mean poor, just less wealthy
There also substantially more public courses in the US than private anyway, head to your local muni, it will be packed with people who aren’t rich
Im a member at a CC where I live in Canada but I’m often at a public range because it’s right near my work and it’s packed every single day, from noon till it closes, one major benefit of a CC is it is never packed which also goes against your point
Sir, I’m not going down this rabbit hole with you talking about wealthy but less wealthy. They’re wealthy still. And I’m making a general statement in response to OC why “professional athletes” play golf. They are wealthy, don’t care less or more. They’re much wealthy compared to average person. And it’s a great way to socialize and make connections. And most wealthy folks are old. I’m not sure what’s your point.
do you golf? I can assure you the vast majority of golfers at a public course are not wealthy. And the vast majority of golfers only play at public courses. You can absolutely make an average salary and play a lot of golf. You seem to have a caricature in your head that isn’t accurate
Depends where you live. In big metros it can be a rich man’s sport. In the suburban sunbelt, courses are everywhere and very cheap.
Golf is a fun chill way to spend your day while also allowing for competition
Because golf is class. Gets you outside. Kills 3-5 hours. A challenge. Playing the best courses like these guys can especially do is such a buzz in itself too.
This was how I would phrase it. If you can afford to only play at the best courses whenever you want on shortish notice, then how can you beat ball golf. The high end courses are insane sensory stimulation.
As someone who doesn’t want to throw down more than $30 for a round, I’m sticking to disc golf over here.
Disc golf (and foot golf for that matter) is fun af. 👍
Personally, I love playing lesser golf courses as well. Golf is golf to me. Golf sicko lol. One of my favourite golf courses in Ireland, and I have played many of the top ones to, the green fee is just €30 for a links course.. I am also a golf architect fan too. So I like checking out all sorts.
Not just that, but since they all fly across the country constantly too they get to see a new course literally every day if they want.
Honestly beyond athletes, I think everyone is starting to get into it. 5 hours of beautiful scenery and a good time with the boys, sign me up
I mean golf has always been extremely popular, at least since Tiger. The problem with the sport is that it’s reserved for people with money.
It definitely is not. There’s cheap course all over and in many countries. The days of it being country clubs only is long past. There are still those kind of places but pretty much everyone can do it now. You also don’t need to buy the most expensive gear either since the main point of golf for a lot of people is to walk around getting shit faced with the boys.
That’s the reason I got back into it. I’m not thrilled about the damage to local natural areas but it’s good exercise and I see tons of birds. Also nowhere near as expensive as others in here are trying to claim unless you make it that expensive on yourself.
After Schumacher had his accident, sports started to heavily limit what their players can do as a hobby. Golf is one of the few activities that is allowed by their contracts and is also easy enough to play in most major cities these athletes visit while not being easily accessible to the public, which would disrupt them.
Because it’s a rich person’s game and they won’t get mobbed by press and fans while out on a golf course.
I implore you to try it. I’m 32 years old and I caught the golf bug. It has changed my life for the better by dropping all other unhealthy hobbies and vices I had just so I could play more and better golf. Come over to the dark side. It’s not as expensive as people think it is.
Open air, lots of nature, no crowds.
Alot of golf is also an opportunity to connect with other wealthy people so it’s not always just about golf
Because golf is great
30% of wealthy people play golf. Wealthy people are older, golf is easier on their body.
People mention competition, low physical exertion, but the no. 1 reason without a doubt is that it’s functionally an exclusive park. Where can you go to hang with all your rich friends that isn’t another fancy restaurant or at home?
Its sports adjacent and a great tool for networking.
you can play by yourself unlike soccer, baseball, football so it’s accessible & you’re not at a notable risk of injury like other sports.
i’d say much more than 30% of dudes that have any amount of general interest in sports play golf. They’re just far more athletic dudes
I wonder why golf and not pickleball as well considering it’s not as hard on the body
Pickleball is much harder physically than golf.
Damn best friends already
Not a coach though, should have gotten LeBron to coach him
There was a story written last year that Luka invited Austin to his house and that he never does that normally
And that Reaves is one of Luka’s first teammates ever where they actually hang out
1st Laker teammate?
lakers circumventing lukas salary cap to keep him on the team in the most ethical way possible
Sincerely asking as someone who has never liked the sport: what is it with hoopers and golf?
Is it just that it’s a low-impact sport you can play with your buddies/toadies while also having business meetings?
Yeah basically just a low-impact competitive sport. A lot of these guys are playing with buddies and competing that way but it’s also one of the few sports where you’re basically just competing with yourself. Probably good for their mental game
More of a game than sport imo. Sport implies something you don’t usually do in khakis or a collared shirt.
Adding on to what others have said, gives you 4-5 hours in a (somewhat) public place without getting accosted by any fans at all. We used to get a bunch of the caps players at the club I was at and were strictly told to not to treat them like a famous athlete
it’s a sport allowed by their contracts
it doesn’t require scheduling commitments (ie “be free every Friday for your softball league”)
It can be played in any nba city 8 months of the year, and plenty of them year round
You don’t need to find 9 other people to play
And I’m sure there are other ancillary benefits like being able to have it as a business meeting, lots of non-athlete rich people play it. And it’s a sport where their skills aren’t transferable, so they get the dopamine of improvement that is probably long long gone from basketball skills. Adding 2% to their 3pt shot is professionally good, but doesn’t hold the same excitement as breaking 100/90/90/80/72 for the first time
Your first point reminded me a few years back when Mahomes was filmed playing Basketball in the summer and the Chiefs immediately “advised” him that their star quarterback doesn’t need to be doing any of that lol
First time I’m hearing NBA contracts excluding shorts players are allowed to play but it makes sense I guess. Is this standard?
Yeah, it’s to protect players from doing something preventable. You don’t want your player tearing an ACL going down a double black diamond
Yes. Also I feel like the same consistency and biomechanics that lead to someone being an NBA-level shooter probably also lend itself to rapid improvement in golf which probably feels great.
Probably helps that it’s one of the few fun things they can do something without getting bombarded by crowds of people
Another factor I don’t hear get mentioned, is the fact it’s a sport with no need for referees, debates on who’s better, interpretation of foul calls. It’s an individual sport and you know exactly how well you did based on your score. There’s no losing because your teammates or refs were the problem.
It’s always a nice reprieve from football, basketball, soccer and these other team sports that have so much context and are open for debate every day.
People are about to start overanalysing which players golf and which don’t lol
Everyone golfs, nothing to do with basketball
Same with Football Players as well
I’m more surprised when a QB doesn’t play golf at this point
basically. its low effort competition, you can gamble on it, you can drink freely, hang with your friends. its not exclusive to hoopers though, every man I know over 35-40 has tried their hand at golf.
I’d say it’s also a sport that is easy to track your improvement. It’s a great all around supplemental sport to being a professional athlete
You can also play well into your older years too . It’s a bug man
Like basketball, you are basically trying to put a ball in hole.
Except this one doesn’t rely as much on physical gifts to enhance your performance. You get to touch grass, enjoy scenery, chit chat, and exert less energy while still having to maintain focus, because it is so hand eye coordination and calculation oriented.
It’s a sport that constantly triggers the try-reward pathway. Every shot is an event like this.
Yeah there’s zero chance he wasn’t getting paid. We might not be competing for a championship but at least the vibes will be great.
nothing is better than laker fans hating their own team
I love this team. I think having players that all want to buy in from a non selfish standpoint with a good coach in JJ will surprise some people.
Until reaves gets traded talks some shit and Luka punches him in the face in Vegas.
White boy love…
Watch him get traded in Feb.
Golf is a competitive low risk of injury sport. Makes sense.
I read that as Austin Rivers at first and was extremely confused
Friendship gonna be crazy ones he’s shipped off next offseason when the Lakers get bounced round one
That pop up court is pretty cool looking
#LustinNation
lol luka sending reaves golf swing videos for advice is so on brand. reaves being honest about having no clue what to tell him makes it even better. gotta love that friendship though
Who will throw the first haymaker after the dms get leaked
You either gold or fish.
Being best friends with Luka gets you 185 million.
Is that the room Alex Turner was vacuuming?
“Hey bro how’s this golf swing, I was playing Hammond on league of legends and realise if I zoop like this the opponent goes whoosh and then my team captures point b on temple of anubis, do you think I can beat Stephenie currie”
Luka’s in end of career golf mode with 0 rings…
Luka still a kid at heart lol
The background is giving 2020 bubble vibes? What’s happening?
Does he ask him for Overwatch tips?
Hot / not hot take the Lakers are going to be much better without Bron
LA Lakers = Luka & Austin Lakers
Is it me or are has it become a fad for NBA players to get into golf?
He should keep the beard
Reaves attaches himself to the guy on the teams. It’s a good strat.
Dude has never lifted weights in his life. Will continue to get bodied in the playoffs.
They definitely have one thing in common: they can’t play defense
Can’t believe lebron and rich paul tried to leak that they didn’t like playing with each other.
Your sources told you this?
Lebron and his agent did. Funny how we havent gotten any reports of dysfunction and tension now that hes no longer in negotiations with them. You can guarantee wherever he goes next hes gonna be the divisive bullshit we see everywhere else hes been.
Freed from the shackles of LeBron
His body language is so awkward
He’s just sitting there you weirdo lol
Gonna be funny watching the Laker fans sick of him in December when he’s ass for his contract.
He’s never been ass lol just consistently improving. The last few playoff runs he had significant injuries that I know you haters will point to but he’s getting paid what he deserves so this narrative is dumb af