Austin Reaves, a shooting guard with the Los Angeles Lakers, responded to D’Angelo Russell’s claim, made on Patrick Beverley’s podcast, that he is underappreciated as a player due to his race.

Reaves answered, “Yeah, I meаn, I think that is real life,” when asked if the NFL season was like that. Sometimes I look at white players and think, ‘They can’t be any good,'” the man said. And I believe that is just the way sports are by their very nature. Considering the dearth of competition and the fact that I used to start for an AAU team for a single season. And I’d step foot on the court, and everyone would sаy, “Oh, I got the white boy.” They’ll ask to switch after I give them a hard time with three or four of their belongings.

Because I know I would fail the eye test, I find it amusing. To look at me, you wouldn’t think I played basketball. Still, I’m frequently met with the question, “Oh, you play golf?” You’re a baseball player? Tennis?’ I still understand it, but at least now I can enjoy it,” Reaves remarked.

Reaves was passed over in the 2021 NBA draft but has since established himself as a key member of the Lakers’ lineup. His 13.0 points per game on 52.9% shooting from the field and 39.8% from deep last season were also career highs.

During the Lakers’ journey to the Western Conference Finals, he also ramped up his game, scoring 16.9 points per contest.

Reaves committed to the Purple and Gold earlier this month by signing a four-year, $56 million contract.

Russell, who was traded back to the Lakers in the middle of last season, re-signed with the franchise for two more years at a cost of $47 million.