‘Arkansas stuff’: The small-town bond that drove Austin Reaves and Malik Monk to new heights

It’s Oct. 26, 2021, and the Los Angeles Lakers are in San Antonio for his or her fourth recreation of what was already shaping as much as be a difficult 2021-22 season. As he sat on the bench earlier than the sport, Austin Reaves had an epiphany, one which solely his new pal, Malik Monk, might probably perceive.

“, this shit is sort of loopy,” he says. “Who would have thought?”

“Me,” Monk replies.

“Not me,” Reaves responds. “It’s in all probability not loopy for you as a result of everyone knew you’ll be right here. However for me, two youngsters from Arkansas, small cities, on the identical crew, the Lakers. This may not occur once more.”

On the floor, the 2 are an odd pairing.

Reaves, the two-way contract overachiever who earned the Lakers’ 14th roster spot and signed a two-year professional deal firstly of coaching camp.

Monk, the one-time future franchise cornerstone now attempting to claw again to relevancy after the remainder of the league seemingly gave up on him. The Dallas Mavericks have been the one crew apart from the Lakers to supply Monk a contract over the summer time, forcing Monk to signal a one-year minimal deal — much less cash than he made in any yr of his rookie contract.

Reaves grew up on a distant cow farm. Monk was raised by a single mother or father in one of many poorest areas in his dwelling state. Reaves, a no-star recruit who began his NCAA profession with a mid-major (Wichita State, earlier than transferring to Oklahoma). Monk, the five-star, blue-chip prospect who went to a blueblood (Kentucky) after an intense recruiting battle. Reaves, who went undrafted and acquired his foot within the NBA door by way of a two-way contract. Monk, a former lottery picks chosen to be the Charlotte Hornets’ capturing guard of the long run.

Every of these contrasts paled compared to the one commonality the 2 had rediscovered in a setting that might not be extra totally different than their humble origins. These two 24-year-olds, now enjoying for the NBA’s marquee franchise, each grew up in Northeast Arkansas.

Particularly, in separate small cities 77 miles aside (Monk in Lepanto and Reaves in Newark), every with fewer than 1,900 folks. They’re a part of a small fraternity of Arkansas natives within the NBA (there are 10 at present on NBA rosters following the 2022 NBA Draft), lots of whom have chips on their shoulders as a result of they consider the gamers from their area are ignored by scouts and media.

And as they realized extra about their distinctive connection, additionally they realized they each are introverts preferring staying at dwelling, avid hunters and golfers, and hoopheads who reside within the fitness center. All of that is on Reaves’ thoughts when he leaned over to Monk on the bench.

“The chances of them each being from Arkansas, within the NBA and on the identical crew, that’s like profitable the lottery,” stated Marcus Monk, Malik’s brother and agent.

It’s March 9, 2013, and freshman phenom Malik Monk and his East Poinsett County Warriors are within the Arkansas 2A championship recreation in opposition to the Cedar Ridge Timberwolves. On the opposite aspect: a 5-foot-9, 120-pound pass-first guard named Austin Reaves.

With 6,000 followers watching from Little Rock’s Barton Coliseum, Monk shines with 25 factors, the final of which give his crew a two-point lead with 19 seconds left. Reaves, however, had an off capturing evening and solely scored three factors. However Reaves acquired the final snigger when Cedar Ridge, led by a 35-point efficiency from Reaves’ older brother Spencer, received the sport, 58-56, for his or her first state title.

“I all the time hated him and his brother,” Monk stated, laughing. “I all the time hated him since then.”

That was not the primary time Monk and Reaves crossed paths rising up. They have been conscious of each other arising within the Arkansas AAU and highschool scene, often saying “What up?” They performed for a similar AAU program, the Arkansas Wings, however by no means collectively; on the time, Reaves was solely adequate to make the choose crew.

However they’d not cross paths once more for a number of years. Any probability at a brewing Monk-Reaves rivalry ended when Monk transferred to ​​Bentonville Excessive College his sophomore yr, putting him in a unique division.

Not like Reaves, Monk was a high-school prodigy on his option to a stint within the Nike EYBL circuit, NCAA stardom at Kentucky and a Inexperienced Room invite after declaring for the NBA Draft after one season. Reaves, in the meantime, performed second fiddle to his brother and started to emerge as soon as he grew to 6-foot-5. He by no means earned an invitation to Monk’s EYBL groups and was a no-star recruit when he dedicated to Wichita State in 2016.

Quick ahead to the summer time of 2021. The Lakers’ vaunted scouting division recognized Reaves, a fifth-year senior after transferring to Oklahoma in 2018, as a two-way contract candidate as a result of his versatile offensive talent set, excessive IQ, team-first mentality and tenacious protection.

Additionally they had a longstanding curiosity in Monk, now a free agent after his profession stalled with the Hornets. After attempting to accumulate him on the 2020 and 2021 commerce deadlines, the Lakers once more pursued the electrical scorer and playmaker. Impressed by pitches from Lakers vice-president of basketball operations and basic supervisor Rob Pelinka, head coach Frank Vogel and LeBron James, Monk signed a one-year minimal contract.

The 2 Arkansas natives, whose paths solely briefly crossed practically a decade earlier earlier than their careers went in numerous instructions, have been now reunited. It quickly turned clear they have been every what the opposite wanted.

They first linked in the course of an offseason exercise with a number of of their teammates on the UCLA Well being Coaching Heart in late August 2021, after the conclusion of the NBA Summer season League and earlier than October’s coaching camp.

Throughout a break within the motion, Monk and Reaves discovered themselves standing subsequent to one another off to the aspect. They started speaking about their backgrounds, how they hadn’t seen one another in a number of years, and the way surreal it was to lastly be enjoying collectively.

“We sat there and talked for some time,” Reaves stated. “And ever since then, it simply constructed.”

As soon as they did, they realized that they had much more in frequent than simply their dwelling state, Southern drawls and love of basketball. Their deep bond was simply starting to kind.

They realized they have been each born into basketball by means of their respective bloodlines.

Reaves’ dad and mom each performed basketball at Arkansas State, and his brother, Spencer, parlayed his high-school success right into a four-year profession at Division II universities North Greenville and Central Missouri earlier than going abroad to play for German professional crew Bayer Giants Leverkusen.

Malik’s brother, Marcus, starred at Arkansas as a large receiver in soccer and a ahead in basketball (he was ultimately drafted into the NFL and performed two years {of professional} basketball in Germany), and his cousin, Rashad Madden, performed basketball at Arkansas and made the Memphis Grizzlies’ summer time league crew in 2015.

They realized they love to do “Arkansas stuff,” as each of them put it. The pair have been planning a visit to a capturing vary, however haven’t been capable of finding an open time of their schedules. Reaves used to shoot cans with Spencer on his 300-acre household farm.

They’ve additionally mentioned going deer-hunting and deep-sea or pond fishing again dwelling in Arkansas. (Reaves was stunned to study that Monk likes searching.) Reaves’ household farm has a number of ponds the 2 might use.

“His city is sort of principally like my hometown,” Monk stated. “Tremendous small and simply tremendous nation.”

Additionally they realized how their respective personalities complemented one another. They each wish to preserve to themselves away from the hardwood, preferring video video games and chill time with shut family and friends moderately than going out and partying. They realized that they each have steely, deep-rooted confidence.

Although Monk identifies as an introvert regardless of his affable demeanor, he’s realized methods to get out of his shell throughout his NBA tenure. His experiences helped Reaves, who’s much more introverted, acclimate to NBA dynamics and really feel extra comfy heading into his sophomore season.

“It’s not onerous to be extra social than Austin,” stated Spencer Reaves jokingly.

That’s why the elder Reaves was stunned to study his youthful brother attended Monk’s Louis XIII-themed birthday celebration at a personal residence within the Bel Air Estates in early February, becoming a member of teammates Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn.

“That claims rather a lot,” Spencer Reaves stated. “They will need to have a superb relationship as a result of Austin simply doesn’t try this with lots of people. His circle could be very, very tight.”

In the meantime, Reaves’ low-key demeanor helped floor Monk in a brand new state of affairs.

They commonly went to dinner collectively after late-night exercises and not too long ago bowled with a gaggle of mutual mates. Reaves received, however Monk insists he’s a greater bowler.

“He beat me by like two factors,” Monk stated. “We ain’t gonna speak about that.”

“Don’t hearken to him,” Reaves stated. “You may take about 50 % of what he says with regards to me and him. In the event you ask him if he’s higher than me, he’s solely gonna say sure. Don’t consider it. He acquired smacked that evening.”

Over the following 9 months, by means of their particular person triumphs and the crew’s many tribulations, a dynamic that started as merely a commonality advanced into what each describe as their closest friendship on the crew.

“It began as a respect factor,” Marcus Monk stated. “They only revered one another from a basketball standpoint. However now, they’ve an precise bond and so they even have a brotherhood, a friendship, that they construct all through the season as a result of they’ve a lot in frequent.”

Their connection spurred each to new heights on the court docket when their careers desperately wanted it. They every emerged throughout an in any other case dismal season for the Lakers, injecting some vitality into video games whereas usually complementing stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis much better than their extra completed counterparts. They even completed 1-2 on the crew in complete plus-minus (plus-54 for Reaves and a plus-53 for Monk).

They personified arguably the lone shiny spot of the Lakers’ 33-49 season: the trouble of the crew’s youthful gamers in distinction to the remainder of the getting older roster. Reeves needed to grind his manner into the league, and Monk needed to do the identical after his Charlotte tenure started to go south.

In that manner, they share a personality trait the Lakers’ scouting division prioritizes to nice impact with their non-lottery picks and fewer heralded free-agent acquisitions.

Within the weeks for the reason that Lakers’ season ended unceremoniously, Monk and Reaves have joined a crew of ignored Lakers equivalent to Horton-Tucker, Stanley Johnson, Wenyen Gabriel and Mason Jones each Monday by means of Thursday on the Lakers’ observe facility in El Segundo. (Nunn, who missed all of final season due to a bone bruise in his proper knee, has additionally been within the fitness center a number of occasions, in keeping with teammates.)

Reaves, Gabriel and Jones went undrafted. Horton-Tucker was a late second-round decide. Monk and Johnson are former lottery picks whose authentic groups gave up on them. Although all of them confirmed flashes of success final season, their excessive vitality within the group exercises stems from the collective disappointment the group felt with the Lakers’ 33-49 file this season.

“I imply, to say the least, it sucked,” Reaves stated of the season from a crew perspective. “We had excessive expectations for ourselves and felt like we simply couldn’t piece it collectively all year long.”

“I feel we underdid the Lakers’ expectations, man, and the followers and all that,” Monk stated. “We allow them to down.”

Monk and Reaves don’t need a repeat of the crew’s disastrous season subsequent yr. That’s if each of them are in Los Angeles subsequent season.

It’s April 10, 2022, and the Lakers have simply completed a 146-141 comeback additional time victory over the Nuggets in Denver with James, Davis and Russell Westbrook out of the lineup with LA’s play-in hopes dashed. It was the right stage for Monk and Reaves to finish the season on a excessive observe and remind the group how vital they’re earlier than a protracted offseason that might characteristic an overhaul of the supporting forged.

“We have been simply strolling in and coming into the sport telling them, ‘This recreation proper right here can simply enhance us into subsequent yr,’” Monk stated. “‘They’ll see that we actually can go on the market and play and assist the crew win.’ And that’s what we went on the market to do.”

They did that and far more. Each notched their profession highs in scoring. Monk dropped 41 factors, whereas Reaves chipped in with 31 whereas changing into the primary undrafted rookie to publish a 30-point triple-double (including 16 rebounds and 10 assists) and the fifth Lakers rookie to publish a triple-double in crew historical past.

Afterward, their friendship was on show whereas they sat subsequent to one another on the postgame press convention, particularly when a reporter requested Monk if Reaves’ record-setting efficiency explains why Reaves’ crew defeated Monk’s in that Arkansas state championship recreation in 2013.

“Hell nah,” Monk stated. “Hell nah. He ain’t do nothing.”

“I didn’t,” Reaves dryly quipped as he smiled and playfully tapped Monk on the arm.

“He ain’t do nothing,” Monk continued. “He didn’t do something that recreation.”

“He’s telling the reality,” Reaves stated as each gamers leaned away from the mic smiling and laughing.

As they celebrated the fruits of a season-long bond that drove each to new heights, studies of former head coach Frank Vogel’s firing surfaced on Twitter. As an alternative of discussing their profession nights, Monk and Reaves needed to discipline a number of questions on their head coach’s dismissal.

It was one other downer in a season filled with them. Nevertheless it was additionally one other alternative for the 2 to lean on one another, as that they had all through their respective lows of the season.

“It’s simply nice being with my boy,” Monk stated. “It’s all the time nice being with any person from dwelling. It all the time feels comfy. And I feel that’s why we actually acquired so shut.”

“He helped me by means of DNPs a few occasions, simply telling me to maintain my head down, work and do the little issues that’ll get me on the court docket,” Reaves added. “I owe him rather a lot for that.”

Now they’ve new challenges. Whereas Reaves is tasked with enhancing and changing into a vital a part of subsequent season’s Lakers, who’re hungry to bounce again and contend once more, Monk is a pending unrestricted free agent with an vital resolution to make about his future within the league. He has lengthy craved safety in his position and luxury in his crew environment. He loved his season with the Lakers, however due to his minimal contract, Los Angeles can solely supply him the taxpayer mid-level exception (value roughly $6.4 million yearly), and Monk is predicted to command extra on the open market.

Reaves has been speaking by means of choices with Monk — however the finish result’s all the time the identical: Reaves advising him to remain.

“Each time I see him, I’m like, ‘Come on. Come again,’” Reaves stated. “However no matter he does, I’m completely satisfied for him.”

Monk and Reaves have all the time been tied collectively due to their roots and shared historical past. The Lakers lastly introduced their paths collectively, forging a robust kinship.

This time, whether or not Monk stays in Los Angeles and helps Reaves attempt to flip the Lakers round subsequent season, or indicators elsewhere this offseason, their friendship ought to lengthy outlast their respective careers.

“We’ll keep shut eternally, man,” Monk stated. “It’s as a result of we acquired the identical roots. We actually like all the identical issues, do all the identical issues. It’s onerous to search out any person like that.”

(High photograph of Malik Monk and Austin Reaves: Adam Pantozzi / NBAE by way of Getty Pictures)