[7] Entering his freshman season at Wichita State, Reaves underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

After the season, Reaves underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which had dislocated three times during his college career, causing him to miss games.

[13] As a redshirt junior, Reaves averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and three assists per game and was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team.

[17] Reaves went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft after declining to be selected 42nd overall by the Detroit Pistons,[18] opting instead to sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 3, 2021.

[20] On October 22, Reaves made his NBA debut, scoring eight points off the bench in a 115–105 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

[21] On December 15, he scored 15 points, on 5-of-6 shooting from three, grabbed 7 rebounds, and hit a game-winning 3-pointer in a 107–104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

[33] In his next game on February 3, his first at Madison Square Garden, Reaves provided 22 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 113–105, including four free-throws down the stretch.

[34][35] Playing without LeBron James on March 26 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Reaves had a triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 128–124 road win in double overtime.

[36][37] On December 25, 2024, Reaves scored the game-winning layup and finished with a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 115–113 win over the Golden State Warriors.

[41] With that performance, Reaves became the fourth Laker in the last twenty years to score at least 45 points, joining Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

His mother averaged 21.3 points per game and earned all-conference honors as a senior, while his father tied for third in program history with 384 career assists.

[45] Reaves' brother, Spencer, played college basketball for North Greenville and Central Missouri before embarking on a professional career with Juaristi ISB in Spain.