Getting to the free throw line is, without a doubt, the NBA skill that makes people the angriest. I understand it, to be fair; getting fouled a bunch is not the most aesthetically appealing way to play the game. It slows the pace of play considerably. But as long as the rules benefit offensive players how they do in the modern NBA, it would be silly for guys not to take advantage.
Austin Reaves takes advantage. He's shot 37 free throws through three games (making 33 of them) and his knack for getting to the line is officially among the league's best.
Guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Trae Young, and fellow Lakers star Luka Doncic are perhaps the most prominent players who live at the line, but Reaves' increased volume in 2025-26 will put him among those guys as a top-tier foul-drawer. Or "baiter," if you view the skill in a more negative light.
Austin Reaves has always been elite at getting to the free throw line
Anyone complaining that Austin Reaves gets a friendly whistle in the NBA likely didn't watch him play in college, because the man was drawing fouls like a pro long before he actually was a pro. In his senior season at Arkansas, Reaves shot 6.8 free throws per game, No. 18 in the country and No. 8 among high-major players. And I'm sure SEC basketball fans were complaining about Reaves' propensity for getting to the charity stripe, too.
But his history as an elite foul-drawer makes it tough to argue that Reaves' high free throw attempts in the NBA are anything but him honing a skill just like any other skill. He's been doing this his whole basketball career, and you can't fault him for mastering something that's valuable — if irritating — in the league. Well, you can fault him, but you'd be in the wrong.
Don't blame Austin Reaves for drawing lots of fouls
I don't love watching NBA games where half the action is guys shooting free throws. Who does? It slows down the pace and often prevents us from seeing the things that make basketball exciting in the first place.
But I also don't claim that players who draw lots of fouls are lesser stars than guys who play a more "ethical" brand of basketball; they're just utilizing how the game is currently officiated to their advantage. Not doing so for the sake of the "integrity" of the game is noble, I guess, but it's also a less effective way to play the game.
Until the NBA overhauls its rulebook on drawing fouls, Austin Reaves will keep getting to the free throw line, and his efficiency will keep being stunningly high for a guard. Reaves has never posted a true shooting percentage under 60, and if he can manage to do that again in 2025-26, when his usage will undoubtedly skyrocket as long as Luka and LeBron are sidelined, then we'll need to consider tacking "super" onto Austin Reaves' "star" label.