Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma expressed his admiration for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who is now representing Team USA in preparation for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Team USA has been playing exhibition games in preparation for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which begins later this month, and Reaves has shown his talent primarily from the bench.

In a recent game against Spain, Reaves had a fantastic sequence that included a challenging basket on one end and a defensive play on the other.

Reaves, 25, made a significant impact for the Lakers in his second season in the league, and he’s been rewarded in a variety of ways this offseason.

Not only did Reaves gain a spot on Team USA, but he also signed a new four-year deal with the Lakers in free agency.

Reaves averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc in 2022-23. From his rookie season, when he scored 7.3 points per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from 3-point range, he has made significant progress.

In the 2022-23 season, Reaves’ breakout season helped the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals. Despite having only the No. 7 seed in the West, the club defeated the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors to get there.

Kuzma, a former Laker who won a championship with the franchise in 2019-20, clearly admires Reaves’ game.

It’s encouraging to see Reaves thrive in a bench role for Team USA, since it demonstrates how adaptable his game is. Reaves thrived in the starting lineup for the Lakers down the stretch of the 2022-23 season, but he’s also played off the bench for the team in his first two NBA seasons.

The Lakers are hopeful that as Reaves’ popularity grows throughout the NBA, his game will improve as well.

If it happens, Los Angeles should be one of the greatest teams in the Western Conference in 2023-24, led by Reaves, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, and LeBron James.