Ronnie Brewer’s Props Affirm Rise of Arkansas’ Most Showtime Prodigal Sons

Given their small-time backgrounds, the percentages that each Malik Monk and Austin Reaves would someday each play for the NBA’s most glamorous franchise would have been lengthy. The actual fact they’ve grow to be teammates and Reaves would have made NBA historical past whereas Monk watched on would have been unthinkable. 

Nonetheless, that’s what occurred final week within the Los Angeles Lakers regular-season finale – a 146-141 additional time win over the Denver Nuggets. 

Reaves, the satisfaction of Newark, Ark., was sensational exploding for 31 factors, 16 rebounds and 10 assists – all profession highs for the rookie, who was a standout on the College of Oklahoma and received three state championships at Cedar Ridge Excessive College. In his final season at Cedar Ridge, he averaged 32.5 factors, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

“It feels wonderful, and on the finish of the day, It’s simply basketball,” Reaves informed Spectrum SportsNet following the sport. “I’m fortunate to be right here taking part in basketball as my job.”

Based on Spectrum SportsNet, Austin Reaves turned the primary undrafted rookie in NBA historical past to document a 30-point triple-double. Reaves joins Elgin Baylor, Lonzo Ball, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West as the one rookies in Lakers historical past to document a triple-double. 

Lakers Struggling

The efficiency was on one of many few shiny spots for an underachieving Lakers group which didn’t make the playoffs and fired its coach Frank Vogel quickly after that remaining win. 

“It hadn’t been the yr we needed it to be, however issues occur, and you progress on, and also you get higher, “Reaves continued. “That’s the reason we play the sport – is pleasure. If we didn’t love the sport, we wouldn’t play it. All people within the NBA loves the sport. Despite the fact that this sport didn’t imply something, it was simply one other alternative to indicate what you possibly can convey to the desk and go win a sport.”

The main scorer for the Lakers with 41 factors in that finale was Monk – a way more acquainted title for Razorbacks than Reaves. That’s as a result of although they each have been raised in northeast Arkansas, Monk starred as a freshman at East Poinsett County highschool main EPC to the Class 2A state title sport (the place the opponent was Cedar Ridge) earlier than ending his highschool profession at Bentonville below the watchful eye of his brother Marcus, a former Hogs receiver. 

Within the fall of 2015, he spurned his brother’s alma mater to attend Kentucky. He was ranked as the highest taking pictures guard in within the nation and was a McDonald’s All-American on a Bentonville group which misplaced to Cabot within the Class 7A state championship sport. 

Monk starred in his one season at UK going touchdown on the All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman group. He declared for the NBA draft following the 2016-17 season. The Charlotte Hornets chosen him with the 11^th decide. 

Monk, who was suspended indefinitely his rookie season for violating the NBA’s substance abuse coverage, struggled to seek out an id on the hapless Hornets. 

Shifting to one of many NBA’s extra storied franchises for his fourth season was speculated to be a pick-me-up taking part in a supporting function to NBA legend LeBron James, rising star Anthony Davis and longtime star vets Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. 

And whereas the group by no means gelled with a glut of accidents, Monk did take pleasure in profession highs in minutes (28) and factors (13.8). He averaged 11.7 ppg sport in his remaining season in Charlotte and now could be averaging a little bit greater than 10 factors for his profession. 

The success of those two Arkansas natives in Lakers backcourt within the season finale prompted Ronnie Brewer Jr., who works on the Razorback basketball workers, to share some public approval on Instagram when responding to Monk’s state-pride put up:

On the above put up, Brewer left the remark: “Like to see it.” That is extra than simply state satisfaction coming via right here. Each Monk and Reaves performed within the Arkansas Wings AAU basketball program and Brewer was a coach in that very same program (now referred to as The Woodz Elite) for years. Brewer can be good pals with Marcus Monk and helped prepare Malik when Malik Monk was a teen.

Whereas the Razorbacks, then below Mike Anderson, recruited Monk onerous, they weren’t prepared to attend round for Austin Reaves to qualify. As Otis Kirk wrote, “Reaves was a late qualifier out of highschool or he would have seemingly been recruited way more closely.” After transferring from Wichita State in 2018, Reaves gained curiosity from Arkansas, Arkansas State (the place his mother and father had starred in basketball), UALR and roughly 20 out-of-state colleges, based on Kirk.

Just a few Lakers followers want to see Brewer’s present boss, Eric Musselman, coach these Arkansans within the subsequent few years.

Eric Musselman with Malik Monk and Austin Reaves?

The Lakers’ first order of enterprise is to discover a new head coach. The truth that Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman is an ideal match for the job in all probability has the always-paranoid Hogs fan base shedding collective sleep. Already, 247Sports’ Eric Bossi listed as Musselman as certainly one of 4 school coaches who meet the NBA’s need for expertise. “He’s earned his repute as a program builder and will surely be any person that will be intrigued by the concept of getting to construct a program on the very highest degree of basketball,” Bossi wrote of Musselman.

Fortunately for Arkansas, although, the timing isn’t good for Musselman. Plus, it’s uncertain he’s on LeBron James’ quick listing which anybody who has adopted his profession is aware of might be a figuring out issue within the rent. 

When that rent is made, the brand new Lakers coach must eliminate the inconsistent Westbrook and eventually ship Carmelo Anthony to the retirement house and provides extra minutes to Monk and different younger gifted Lakers equivalent to Reaves and former Iowa State standout Talen Horton-Tucker. 

A lineup with James and a wholesome (an enormous if) Davis with Monk as a 3rd choice and the up-and-coming Reaves coming off the bench may make LA formidable subsequent season. Reaves, who hit the game-winning shot in opposition to Dallas in a sport early within the season and averaged 7.3 factors per sport as a rookie, is simply going to get higher. His upside is large. Additionally, with the Lakers there may be alternative to usher in free-agent expertise. They simply must be extra discerning. 

There’s a very actual likelihood that two Arkansans from tiny cities outdoors of the state’s two largest populated areas may very well be part of the following chapter of profitable for Los Angeles. Their presence is unquestionably a purpose for Arkansans to maintain tabs on the Lakers sooner or later. 

At the very least one member of the Razorback basketball workers will.