Lakers' Austin Reaves Says LeBron James Is 'Best Player to Ever Touch a Basketball'

After sharing the court with the legendary LeBron James for the past four seasons, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has come to a definitive conclusion.

"In my opinion, he's the best player to ever touch a basketball," Reaves declared during an appearance on The Young Man and The Three podcast (h/t HoopsHype). "He probably could have retired six years ago and people would still say the same thing. He has enough money regardless of what he was saying on that podcast the other day. He has enough money. The only reason he's still playing basketball, it's because he loves the grind."

Reaves was referring to James' recent appearance on 360 With Speedy, in which he said he's "not hinting at anything" amid ongoing rumors that he's retiring soon. At 40 years old, the four-time NBA champion is still at the top of his game, and he hasn't stopped improving.

"He loves the game. He wants to continue to get better," Reaves added. "Even when, you know, you're at that level, there's still things that he thinks he can work on to become a better player. I think that's the most incredible thing about him, is how he conducts himself on and off the court."

James is hoping to add a fifth NBA title to his mantle before he calls it a career, and Reaves' continued improvement will go a long way toward helping the Lakers contend for a championship during the 2025-26 season.