LeBron James may be the face of the Los Angeles Lakers, but it was a subtle shift inspired by Austin Reaves that helped spark their latest turnaround. Ahead of the team’s 134-127 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on March 29, James made a low-key but meaningful wardrobe adjustment—throwing on a headband for the first time in a long time.
The change wasn’t just about style. After a rough loss to the Bulls two nights earlier, LeBron was looking for something to reset the vibe. Spotting Reaves already rocking his usual headband, James asked about it and then revealed his plan.
“I said, ‘Yeah, you know, s—, I’ve been a little bit out of rhythm. I need to change the energy in this b—-,’” James told ESPN. “And I said, ‘It worked for you.’”
Whether it was superstition or symbolism, it worked. LeBron delivered a classic stat-stuffing performance—25 points, eight assists, six rebounds, three steals, and a block—guiding the Lakers to an important win on the road and helping them build momentum for a critical playoff push.
The real story, though, starts with Reaves, who first wore the headband back in December when the team was mired in a 2-7 slump. For Reaves, it wasn’t about performance—it was about morale.
“I randomly was like, ‘F— it, I’m going to put a headband on and see if I can make somebody smile,’” Reaves said. “They all just looked at me like I was crazy and just started laughing. I was like, ‘Well, I accomplished my goal.’”
Since then, Reaves has gone from quirky teammate to one of the most important players on the team. He’s averaging over 20 points a game this season, and he’s been even better over the last month, putting up 25.5 points per contest while shooting over 50% from the field and better than 40% from three. His contributions have included buzzer-beaters, career highs, and consistent production night in and night out.
Jarred Vanderbilt called Reaves “a light and a joy to our team,” and that energy clearly rubbed off on LeBron. The headband might’ve started as a joke, but it’s become a badge of chemistry, resilience, and new energy for a Lakers team looking to peak at the perfect time.
As Los Angeles prepares for a showdown with the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder, they’ve surged into the No. 3 seed race, now 1.5 games up on Denver and two games ahead of Golden State. The LakeShow is rolling, LeBron’s back in rhythm, and Reaves is earning comparisons to undrafted legends like Ben Wallace.
It’s funny how something as small as a headband can shift the narrative, but in a long NBA season, sometimes a little change makes a big difference.
