 Witness Austin Reeves. The strongest survive. The primal yell. There he is. He's been in the league for three years. You know him. You love him. Coming off a championship weekend in Las Vegas. Austin Reeves. First of all, I know you're still like a little bit under the weather and that this was your flu game. And LeBron did put it to the press and everyone that was within hearing better flu game, MJ or Austin Reeves. Where are we on this? Oh, boy. Everybody takes broad a little too serious. I love it. I just think being even in the conversation is kind of funny to me. But because you were ill, were you able to, I mean, it's Las Vegas. Did you celebrate? Did you say I'll deal with it next week? Like, what'd we do here? No, right after the game, I went straight to the hotel. Went down to bed. Boy. My family stopped by to like be giggling. But I was struggling. Man. So we're giving the edge to MJ because MJ would have went right back. What a bummer. What a bummer. Austin, there's been a lot of talk about whether there should be a banner raised for this in season tournament championship. What do you say? Would you raise a banner at crypto.com arena? I don't know. I mean, the Lakers are so used to winning championships, like actual championships that I don't think will raise a banner. But you know what? It is the first time for anybody to win that tournament. So that's special. Regardless if we do or don't, I'll be happy. But hopefully we can raise like a real championship banner issue. You got to tell me for that, for your guys group and having the star power that you guys have. What was you guys incentive? Was it the 500K or did you guys just want to go out and say we want to win this thing? What was you guys incentive? I think it was a little bit of everything. And I think that, you know, what Braun said after the game was, you know, real when he said that, you know, records will be broke, all that. But being the first to do something, you know, that will never be broke. That's something that will stay in forever. So I think that was really the main thing, because, you know, to be honest, it was 500K. You know, Braun, you know, he's got all that money. So I think it was really just being the first to do something like that. I think the visual was kind of fun. It was fun as a fan to watch a basketball game where you knew that, like, there was an actual money amount on the line. And it was for everybody. Like, they just felt different, I think, for us watching. I loved afterwards when the bra was like the young guys were, hey, when do you think we'll get our money? By the way, great question. I want to know the answer, too. Like, did they get any of it to celebrate in Vegas with? Because Lou said none of that's leaving Vegas if it was him. I'd have left all of mine. Yeah, I'm going home with none. That's funny. I don't think, honestly, I still don't know the answer to that question. Someone told me at the latest we'd get it January 15. Oh. But I don't know. No, I don't think anybody's got any of their money yet. But, you know, all the young guys were running around, you know, even before the game. Like, please win, please win. Two ways were, like, this is a $150,000 game for us. We need y'all to win. I don't know when we get the money. But, you know, those guys are super excited. Austin, you mentioned that $500,000 that you would possibly use that for a Riviera membership, I think you said. You realize you got a bag this summer and you can already afford the Riviera membership, right? Yeah, I mean, I just, I don't really like to spend my money. You know, I don't really have it. I didn't have any before now. But, yeah, I've kind of realized that. This is just, you know, a little extra. I told you, I get you out to Sherwood whenever you want, bro. And so have you played with any of the other golfers? Like, have you played with Steph? Are you the best golfer in the NBA right now? I haven't played with Steph nor anybody else in the NBA. I don't really know anybody personally. But, for me, I mean, I believe so. What is your handicap? I'm scratch. Oh, dear. How does that make you feel? I'm getting a solid 10 strokes off you, boss. Hey, that's fine. I would let me know when and where. All right, I got you. And I just saw also Charles Barkley is trying to challenge you to a match. How bad will you bust his ass? He said he needed four on the front, four on the back. That ain't enough. No, that's not enough. That's not enough. I haven't seen him swing in a couple years. So the last time I remember he had that, the horrible hitch in it. So yeah, I still like my odds regardless. His hitch is so bad. I feel like you have to try to have that. He's got it. It's that bad. He says he fixed it. He says he fixed the yips. The yips. All right. He'll Billy Kobe. Chandler is offended by that nickname. Where did it come from? Do you love it? How do you feel about it? I actually like it. It was when I was at OU, one of my GAs that I was really close when they come up to me. It was like I figured it out. And I was like, what the hell are you talking about? And he was like, he'll Billy. Like he was kind of whispering to me because we were in the middle of practice. Coach was probably talking, but he was like, he'll Billy Kobe. And I just started laughing. And I was like, yeah, whatever. But one of my teammates heard it and it basically just ran with it from there. And then it just kind of, you know, caught wind and everybody started using it. And then when I got, when I went undraft and that's out with the Lakers, you know, it actually become a thing. See, Chandler, not offended. Good. Everyone's so offended by everything these days. I'm glad you're not. Austin, you just signed a new deal with Chinese shoe company Rigger. You're now a shareholder, part owner in the company. What made Rigger the right brand for you? What led you to this decision than now being a part owner? Like what goes into that for you? Yeah. I mean, we first off, we signed the two year deal before last year and was just seeing, you know, what the partnership could be. And then after a year of, you know, work together, you know, becoming close friends and, you know, just putting our brains together. We've seen, you know, a special opportunity to create something great. And I think, you know, going that direction of, you know, actually joining the organization and trying to make it great and build it was the best opportunity for us to, like I said, do something great. The shoes are great. You know, they've done everything that I've asked for them to do. And, you know, we're looking forward to, you know, keep building that relationship and hopefully, you know, growing something special. Austin, I just saw those shoes had Team USA colors. Are you, is that for Team USA? Are you, like, are you trying to be on the Olympic team? Where do you stand on this? If, like I said, I think a couple months ago, if they called and asked me, I'd be the first one to say yes. You know, if not understand, but I would definitely would love to. What was that moment like for you, literally everything you've been through, lacing up your own signature shoe for the first time? It was special. I mean, if you would have told me, you know, even two years ago that I would have an opportunity to have my own signature shoe, I probably would have looked at you crazy. So the first time getting them, you know, shipped in and put on and actually going and hooping in front of a crowd that everybody could see. You know, it was special. You know, I brought back a lot of, you know, memories of, you know, all the hard work that I've put in to get to this spot. A.R., you were a free agent this past off season. You resided with the Lakers four years, $56 million deal. What went into your decision? What other options did you have in going back to Lakers? I know you wanted to be in L.A. But what went into your decision to go back? The main thing was just being in a spot where I was comfortable, you know, coming off a really good, you know, end of the year last year in L.A. and we made a push to, you know, the Western Conference finals and obviously got upset by, or not upset, got swept by Denver. You know, like I said, I wanted to be somewhere where I felt comfortable. I knew, you know, kind of what was going to be asking me. And I mean, so sorry, I'm still going through it. You know, I was trying, I was still trying to, you know, figure out, you know, the money situation and all that. But at the end of the day, I was restricted. So it kind of made it a little more difficult. And, you know, L.A. did a really good job of putting out there that they were going to match everything. So teams were kind of reluctant to, you know, tie up their money before the, what's the call between the first and the sixth? Yeah. So at the end of the day, I wanted to be back in L.A. Like I said, I wanted to be somewhere where I was super comfortable and knew what was going to be asking me. And obviously, you know, I wanted to have an opportunity to compete for a championship. Austin LeBron has praised, you know, your basketball IQ, the way you see the floor, everything. How nuts is that? I know I'm 35 years old. He was, he's my guy growing up. He must have been a huge fan growing up. Like how, how weird and how crazy and surreal is that? That first thought that you're playing with him and that he loves your game and loves playing with you. Yeah. I mean, it's, it's crazy at the fact that he's still playing, to be honest, but, you know, it never, it never gets old, honestly. Like anytime you have a guy of that caliber that knows the game that well, you know, it speaks highly about you. You know, it feels good and it empowers you. But one thing I can say, obviously, and I know everybody knows that he makes my life a lot easier. Just, you know, the way he sees the game, the way he's unselfish and, you know, believes in his teammates and gives them, you know, free reigns to have opportunity to, you know, have their imprint on game, you know, as special and, you know, growing up, I was a huge Kobe fan. So I wasn't the biggest Brian fan, you know, probably like 2000, probably 17, 18. I just one day was like, man, this, I got to stop, you know, I got to stop hating this man's great. You know, I think I was just sitting there watching a regular season game in my dorm or in my apartment when I was at OU. And I was just like, man, you know, probably never see anything like this again. So let me just appreciate it. And it comes full circle that I'm teammates with a man and, you know, you can't beat him as a human. Always in a good mood. So, you know, he's, you know, I have a lot for my career so far. Is there one piece of advice that's stuck out to you that LeBron has given you that's really helped? It was really just my first year. You know, my main thing when I first got here is I was like, I'm going to earn him an 80s respect, like regardless of what I got to do, being practiced outside of practice, like I've earned the respect. And there was obviously a couple of times my first year where I would, I don't want to say deferred to him because obviously I should at that point. But there was a couple of times I probably made the wrong play trying to give them the ball. And both of them come up to me and was like, look, you don't have to do that. You can, you know, you can be you. And, you know, that day forward, like that gave me so much confidence to just beat me and constantly just do, you know, the right things and really just be myself. All right, Austin, I got to go back to 2000. Now that you've said it, the 2017 you're sort of like, all right, maybe I don't have to hate LeBron anymore. And then fast forward, you're playing on a team with him. So how surreal is that? I'm assuming you guys have like a text thread. Do you save him as LeBron? Does he have like a secret code? And like the whole thing kind of blows my mind that fast forward and now you are playing with him. And not just on the same team, but like there's a mutual respect and you have a huge role. How has that been? Oh, it's been crazy. Many times I go back home, you know, obviously everybody's first question is how's LeBron? Like, how's LeBron as a human? You know, does he treat you good? You know, just because, you know, he's, you know, there's such a big superstar that you regular people don't understand that he's just a normal person. You know, he acts like he's about 18 years old. He's always joking, laughing, having a good time. So it is surreal, especially when I go back home and people put it in perspective of, you know, who he actually is. Like, obviously I know, but, you know, I spend so much time with him that, you know, to me, he's kind of just another human. And that's crazy to say just because, you know, five, six years ago, I was thinking the same way that everybody else was thinking. So, you know, shout out to him because, you know, if anybody could be, you know, standoffish or, you know, a little bit different, you know, just because, you know, their stature is so good, it could be him, but he's not, you know, he's just a regular guy that, you know, always wants to have fun. I don't know if you do this with your friends. Like, in my phone, I have Lou as NBA legend, Lou Will. I have Chandler as horse's ass, which is, I think, like a cute codename. Do you do anything like that for LeBron and company? No, his name in my phone is just LeBron. You don't need a name. It's perfect. I'm looking at you. I thought you were dead. I was waiting to see what you have me on, but it's all good. I'm probably just my number. Horse's ass, huh? It's probably not even saved. I only know one shams and there's only one LeBron. I feel like you guys are golden. I'll take that. Austin, so you begin the season as a starter. Now you're coming off the bench. You're essentially the sixth man. What was your initial reaction to that move? How do you feel like you've embraced the changing of roles that you've had over the years? I feel like I've embraced it well. You know, my parents' whole thing growing up was, you know, the coaches, the coach respect his decisions and, you know, figure out how to be successful around that. And me and Darwin had a conversation at Phoenix the night before we played Phoenix in the first, you know, in-season game, the game that I, you know, come off the bench for the first time this year. And, you know, he laid it out. He laid it out all out on the line for me and was like, this is why, you know, we were beat up at that time. And we needed, you know, more pinch scoring, but, you know, more, better, you know, plus, minus, you know, as well as when Brown was off the floor. So I respected that and, you know, bought into it because at the end of the day, all I want to do is win. Former teammate Pat Beverly was on the show not that long ago. And we asked him about the two small celebration. You hit him with that last season in Chicago. Then a few weeks ago in Philly, you guys had a moment. And then afterward, he said, every time I see the Lakers until I retire, whatever team Austin Reeves is on, I'm on his ass. What was your reaction to that? I laughed. I liked that. I genuinely, you know, Pat was here for, I don't even know, half a season, a little more. And, you know, me and Pat got along really well. He's a super competitor. And I believe, you know, after that, you know, two small, they asked him about it and he was like, I love it. You know, it's competition and that's what the game needs. So after the, the one in Philly, you know, everybody was sending it to him. He was like, he's serious. Like I was like, to be honest, I don't know. Like he probably, you know, in a sense is serious. Like, you know, stuff like that probably sticks with him just because he probably has to find things to, you know, still motivate him because, you know, he's been in the league for a while. But me and Pat, I mean, I believe have, you know, mutual respect for one another. And at the end of the day, it's just competition. We were talking about, we were talking to each other at halftime and I said something to him because he said something about me on his pod, you know, having my back. I was like, I appreciate it, bro. He was like, you know, I'm your biggest supporter. Like, keep going basically. And then all that happens that everybody is like sending to me. Like I said, so there's so much more that goes on than everybody sees. Hey, he's not forgetting that anytime soon. No one that animal, he's not letting go. He's not letting go. But also last season, you had the legendary, I'm him to my beloved Memphis crowd. Were you just waiting on the right moment for that? Or, you know, how did that come about? It was just straight adrenaline. Yeah, I don't ever, when I'm playing the game, all I can think about is the game. I don't think about, you know, celebrations, you know, anything I'm going to say. Everything I say is pure to, you know, me just being caught up in the moment of the game. And it was a situation where I had a really good fourth quarter and obviously a big, you know, game one in Memphis against a really good team. You know, I knew probably over a hundred people, you know, in attendance because it's like an hour 45 from where I grew up. So pure emotion and, you know, joy, honestly. Austin, you were also one of the best players on Team USA this past summer. You had a free celebration when you were shooting, you know, making threes on Team USA. Is it true that Steve Kerr outlawed that? Did he ban that? He tried to, he tried to. So I started to try to get everybody else on the team to do it as well. I remember it was very early in the USA stuff and I was just messing around in practice and I hit a three, just shooting around and I did it and Kerr looked at me and was just like, no. Or I've seen this too much the past, the last 10 and a half or so. He was like, we can't do this for the next couple of months or I'm gonna go crazy. Like I said, so I continued to try to get McKill, Cam, you know, all those guys are doing it with me and you know, it was all just a big run to joke. Hey, you've become quite a celebrity in LA and I play for the Clippers and I play for the Lakers and it's definitely two different vibes when you play for both of those groups. What are some of the perks playing with the Lakers? No, it's the Lakers. It's just, I mean, I believe I haven't played for the Clippers but I think it's just a different feeling. I think that, you know, it's, I mean, it's just a Lakers town. It's a Lakers city. If you play for the Lakers regardless, you know, big dog brawn or, you know, you can go down the list. I believe everybody's gonna know you wherever you go. You're gonna, you know, be recognized more but for me, you know, I stay in the crib so I don't have to deal with all that but I think it's just a different feel, like I said. Austin, there were some stories last year about you and Taylor Swift when my boy Trav swooped it up. It was... Obviously there was no truth to that but what was your initial reaction to that? Was it crazy? And are you single? What the? I'm going rogue. We gotta put my boy on. He's in LA, he's a store of LA. Come on, let's get him out there. I'm not single. There you go. I'm good. I'm locked down. My first initial reaction was like, I was back home in Arkansas. I was playing cards with my friends and one of my friends sent it to me and I was just like, are you serious? As much as I try to stay out of the media out the way, you know, it's almost impossible to do that, you know, that goes back to Lou's question about, you know, being a Laker, you know, anytime, you know, something like this happens, you know. You know, they try to attach names to, you know, people just because you're a Laker but, you know, as much as I, like I said as much as I try to stay out of the media that I was just like, here's another one. Also, could you and Taylor Swift even be in a bar and not, like, I couldn't even imagine, that was what the report was, that they were together in a bar, like, even like, knowing how famous you two are and your respective rights, like, I, you know, obviously her. Knowing how famous she is. No. Have you ever, have you ever been out and about and somebody's like, you're not a Laker? Like you had to, like, prove it to somebody? Oh, no, I'll tell you, even worse. We were in, we were in Brooklyn. I don't know if it was my rookie year last year and I was injured at the time. So before the game, I was getting treatment and it went, you know, a little bit into the first quarter, maybe the second quarter and so I jumped in the shower and put on my clothes and I was walking out to the bench and right before I got to the bench I was about to sit down, security, like, grabbing. And it was like, what are you doing? And first person I seen was 80, 80 bust out laugh and was like, yo, he's a player. I was just, shit. So I've gotten that a couple of times. I actually, my rookie year, going into crypto, you know, you go down the staples, you go down the ramp. I was dropped off at the top a couple of times. I didn't have a car yet and I was just trying to walk through to go down the ramp and they would stop me and be like, what's your credentials? Like, you work for the team. That's awesome. Frozen cons being a white guy in the NBA. Yeah, it's racial. Get used to it. It's always racial. For sure. Dude, this has been awesome. We appreciate the time. I know you're probably exhausted. Go back to sleep. Suda fed, all that good stuff. That's the plan. Best of the way. Appreciate your AR. Appreciate your AR, bro. We'll take it. We'll take it.