Lakers' Austin Reaves Reveals What He Misses Most About LeBron James After Star's Exit for 76ers

The Los Angeles Lakers will obviously miss LeBron James' skills on the court after he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. For Austin Reaves, there are more imperceptible ways in which James' absence will be felt.

"I never disregarded the basketball player he was when I was younger," Reaves told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "I knew he was great, but then to full-circle being on the team with him, and then him giving me confidence every single day was incredible. It gave me a better outlook on judging people because he treated me the same from the day he met me when I was a two-way player, to when I call him right now. I think that's what I miss the most."

Reaves added that "getting to know him as a human was one of the coolest things I've been able to experience."

Calling James a mentor for Reaves would probably be a stretch because LeBron's ultimate focus during their time together was on winning another title.

But there's the famous clip of an interaction between the two in 2022, when James is giving pointers to a seemingly bemused Reaves. If LeBron saw an opportunity to impart some wisdom on one of his younger teammates, he was going to take it.

There's also the impact a player of his stature can have simply from leading by example. By watching the future Hall of Famer on a daily basis, you'll inevitably start to mimic some of his habits.

Reaves is now a star in his own right. He averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists last season before signing a $184.8 million contract to return to the Lakers.

At 28, he's basically the grizzled vet with valuable insight to provide for teammates trying to find their place in the NBA.

In that sense, James' influence in Los Angeles will extend well beyond his tenure there.