Few players, if any, have raised their profile higher in the early goings of the 2025-26 NBA season than Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.

And that's saying something, since his rise from undrafted hidden gem to near-star starter had all played out under the Hollywood spotlight.

Still, there were some questions about what his future held—and where it should play out. Since he entered the Association as a 23-year-old, it was fair to wonder whether he was already close to exhausting his growth potential. And since he has tended to do much of his best work with the ball in his hands, he didn't seem like the ideal co-star to slot alongside LeBron James and Luka Dončić.

Well, the growth concerns are officially out the window. In fact, every time he takes the floor, he seemingly raises his ceiling higher. In the past week alone, he's had one outing with 11 assists against one turnover; another with 51 points, 11 boards and nine dimes; another with 41 points on 59.1 percent shooting; and, finally, a 28-point, 16-assist performance punctuated by a game-winner.

His star...