The shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, Austin Reaves, aka AR-15, was born to his dad Brian Reaves and mom Nicole Wilkett on May 29, 1998, in Newark, Arkansas.
Both of his parents played college basketball for Arkansas State.
From 1990 to 1992, his mom Nicole showcased her skills as an all-conference forward for the Red Wolves.
Her collegiate journey with the Arkansas State basketball team was marked by remarkable success.
Particularly impressive was her senior season, where she achieved an average of 21.3 points.
Nicole’s influence on her emerging guard son remains profound.
Throughout his growth, he fondly remembers her as both his biggest supporter and most discerning critic.
Austin holds deep gratitude for the invaluable lessons she imparted, often initiating post-game texts to her as a gesture of appreciation.
Austin Reaves Mom Nicole Wilkett
Reaves doesn’t just receive candid feedback from his father, Brian; his mother, Nicole Wilkett, also holds nothing back.
Wilkett, a successful Arkansas State basketball alumna, was an all-conference forward for the university from 1990 to 1992.
In a light-hearted tone, Wilkett quipped to The Los Angeles Times, “More of a scorer than a shooter, know what I mean.”
She openly admitted that watching her son play sometimes evokes more nervousness than she ever experienced when she was the one on the court.
Much like Reaves‘ father, his mother maintains a direct approach when it comes to assessing his performance.
She candidly shared with the Times, “I can probably tell you the mistakes he made more than the points he scored.”
This comes as no surprise to Reaves, who openly acknowledged in a post-match interview with the Lakers that his mother wouldn’t have been pleased with one of his plays.
These remarks were made on December 9, 2022, following a disheartening overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers had a prime opportunity to secure victory, but both Reaves and Anthony Davis missed crucial free throws.
Reflecting on the situation, Reaves expressed, “You always have to make that, especially under those circumstances,” “But it sucks to miss. I’m sure my mom will be frustrated at me for missing a free throw.”
