Malik Monk says him and Austin Reaves have bonded over everything from being from Arkansas to getting yelled at by older Lakers guys.
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The Los Angeles Lakers have had anything but a season that they wish to remember once 2021-22 is done and dusted. Austin Reaves has become quite the revelation for the Lakers as the rookie has been doing every bit of the little things you would expect from good role players. Malik Monk has essentially become their go-to floor spacer as well.
Monk has made Los Angeles is home ever since his falling out with James Borrego and the Charlotte Hornets, making good use of the time he’s spent with the purple and gold. Other than LeBron James having a historical season of magnanimous proportions, Malik Monk and Austin Reaves have been the only two bright spots for the Lakers.
It’s also quite coincidental that the two are from Arkansas. When asked about their bond, Monk said, “Two motherf**kers from Arkansas man.”
Reaves also admitted to having chemistry with Monk saying, “I feel like we have chemistry, even from the start, it’s been just a kind of connection that you can’t really explain.”
Malik Monk and Austin Reaves bond over getting yelled at.
Being the youngins on any NBA team means you’ll most probably be on the receiving end of a couple lectures from the older guys, especially when your team is losing. This is what’s been the case with the Lakers who have been losing much more than they anticipated and so yelling at Malik Monk and Austin Reaves seems like the only viable option.
“Sh*t everything,” said Monk when asked about what’s he’s bonded with Austin about. “Ups and downs. Rookie wall, older guys yelling at rookies because it’s their fault. Everything they do, it’s your fault out there because they know everything and you don’t and when you mess up, you just got to take it.”
“You got to deal with things like that. I talk to Austin almost every day.”
The chemistry that the two have been talking about certainly translates to the stat-sheet as well as the two have a net-rating of +7.1 in two-man lineups on the Lakers.