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00:00 Training camp has begun for USA Basketball.
00:02 They've got a showcase exhibition series
00:04 starting on August 7th against Puerto Rico.
00:07 And then they play in the FIBA World Cup
00:09 with the first game on August 26th.
00:11 I'm Robin Lundberg here with a member of Team USA
00:14 and the Los Angeles Lakers, Austin Reeves.
00:16 And Austin, I've seen all the photos and videos
00:19 of you putting on that jersey earlier.
00:22 Going from being undrafted to Team USA,
00:26 what was that feeling like putting that jersey on?
00:29 It felt special.
00:30 I thought you were going to mention my beard,
00:32 that I had my horrible beard.
00:34 But no, I mean, like you said, going undrafted
00:38 and then having the opportunity to, like you said,
00:42 put that jersey on.
00:44 And I was asked earlier today, why did I choose to play?
00:49 And once I got the opportunity and the call
00:53 and the invite to come, it was an opportunity
00:56 that I couldn't pass up.
00:59 And I grew up watching the USA teams.
01:01 I watched the documentaries and everything.
01:04 So it was a no-brainer for me.
01:06 Yeah, ball don't lie, as they say.
01:08 So from undrafted to Team USA to All-Star, that's a fair path?
01:12 I mean, if that happens, it happens.
01:15 But I mean, I've been quoted saying this a million times.
01:19 And I don't think it'll ever change.
01:21 And it's really winning.
01:22 I want to win a championship.
01:24 I want to win a gold medal.
01:25 I want to win.
01:27 And that's really since day one of my life.
01:31 Growing up, my brother used to beat me in everything.
01:33 We would play ping pong.
01:34 We would play cards.
01:35 We would play video games.
01:36 Like, I could never beat him.
01:38 He's two years older than me.
01:40 But then I finally started getting a little success.
01:43 And the taste of that, just winning,
01:46 is really the main thing that, in my opinion,
01:50 everybody should care about.
01:51 And all the accolades that come after that is kind of bonus.
01:54 Obviously, you've already been on the floor
01:56 with some great players.
01:57 But having been out there at practice now,
02:00 is there anybody on this team that you
02:01 think is just going to wow people
02:03 with how good they actually are?
02:05 I think the first one that comes to mind is Anthony Edwards.
02:08 I think just his ability to do everything.
02:13 You know, honestly, I think he can guard one through five.
02:16 He's really strong.
02:17 And he just continues to get better.
02:19 Could you see Ant-Man as, like, an MVP candidate next season?
02:22 I could see it in his future for sure.
02:23 You think the Lakers are a championship level team?
02:26 Going into the next season?
02:27 I do.
02:28 I do.
02:29 I'm super excited with what we brought back
02:33 and then what we got after that.
02:36 I feel like we brought back a core that basically,
02:40 after the trade deadline, made a push.
02:42 We obviously made it to the Western Conference finals
02:44 and got beat by the champs.
02:46 But every game that we played in that series, we was in.
02:50 And one thing or another, it could have turned.
02:54 It could have been a lot different.
02:55 But and then putting new pieces around that, you know,
02:59 Gabe Vincent just went to the finals.
03:00 Jackson Hayes allowed AD to kind of go back to the four
03:04 and play bigger.
03:06 But super excited with what we have.
03:08 You know, as far as LeBron and his Lakers career,
03:11 I saw he's going to get his jersey retired.
03:13 There's been some debate about a statue.
03:15 Are you in favor of a LeBron statue?
03:18 Yeah, why not?
03:20 You know, he come to LA at a time
03:23 where he wasn't having much success.
03:25 And what was it, two, three years?
03:28 You know, he put a banner in the rafters.
03:30 So why not?
03:31 I mean, in my opinion, he's the greatest player
03:34 to ever play the game.
03:36 I don't think you can really--
03:38 you can argue it for sure.
03:39 I mean, because there's been some really good players.
03:41 But I've always said that you could name the best person at
03:46 everything, scoring, rebounding, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
03:49 And you could argue that Bron can compete at the top
03:53 in all those categories.
03:54 So yeah, why not?
03:56 What pose should the statue be in?
03:57 The one where he's looking at you side-eyed?
04:00 Oh, I mean, why not?
04:01 Throw me in there, too.
04:04 No, I mean, probably him dunking something.
04:08 (upbeat music)