LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, and Marcus Smart sat on the bench and watched their teammates play a competitive preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Sunday night. These Lakers’ stars have yet to kick-start their preseason journey, as LA has already played two games.
James had a decent offseason. He spent quality time with his family vacationing in Puerto Rico and indulging in golfing action with Reaves, who, according to LeBron, is a reasonably decent golfer and someone you shouldn’t bet against. The offseason golfers showcased a glimpse of their interests last night on court.
LeBron James Spotted Taking Golf Lessons From Austin Reaves During a Timeout
During one of the timeouts from last night’s preseason game between the Lakers and the Warriors, James was observed taking golf lessons from Reaves on the court. A fan snapped a video of James and Reaves and uploaded it on social media.
Austin Reaves giving LeBron James golf tips during a timeout 😭
(Via @LADEig) pic.twitter.com/ZjOCeTqpN5
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 6, 2025
Last year, Reaves and James played essential roles in the Lakers’ run in the playoffs, which ended with a round 1 defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves. LA hopes to turn back the tide in their favor in the upcoming NBA season, and Reaves, James, Doncic, Smart, and Ayton will play a considerable part in that quest.
James Reflected on How He Caught the Golf Bug
James appeared on the ESPN LA 710 AM show during media day on September 29 and discussed many aspects of his summer break. During the conversation, the show’s host told LeBron that he had the bug for playing golf, and now, as he sees it, the bug has caught up with the four-time NBA champion.
Replying to the statement, James said, “The bug man, I’ve heard about the bug for a long time . Never understood it, never cared for it because I was not in a golf at all . You are not lying. One day it takes you over.”
Next, the host gave the four-time MVP a piece of advice: never play with Reaves for money. Upon hearing this, James hilariously replied, “That’s the best tip you ever gave me. I’ll tell you I’m gonna get out there with him. Already told him I need to get out there with him, but as far as betting, no, I’m not gonna do that.”
The Lakers have lost their first two preseason games and will play four more before kicking off their 2025-26 NBA season with a game against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on opening night (October 21).
