JJ Redick had validated Austin Reaves all season, publicly and privately praising the Lakers guard as a key player of the roster.

It was a topic in Redick’s first news conference as Lakers coach, a topic in the preseason and, as the season began fittingly against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a topic an entire regular season ago.

“I’ve mentioned this a few times. We’ve talked a ton throughout the offseason. We’ve seen it already in the gym. He’s had a specific sort of pie to choose from, a menu to choose from so far in his career,” Redick said in October. “We’re going to try to give him a little bit more on the menu. Just make him a little more dynamic.”

Yet no piece of praise, no late-game play call, no moment more than any cemented how the Lakers felt about Reaves then their decision in Memphis in late March when Redick gathered LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Reaves together to talk about how the Lakers’ best players could make things work together.

“Just in terms of Austin being included, of course he’s been included,” Redick said.

For Reaves, there’s rarely been a doubt. Since he played his way from a two-way contract onto the Lakers roster and, eventually, into the starting lineup, he’s never thought anything asked of him has been too much.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, on March 14 in Denver.

(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Yet as he’s gained responsibility on the court throughout his first season with Redick coaching the Lakers, the team has sought more from him, trying to harness his ability as a connective personality in the locker room into a more vocal presence on the court.

Stunningly, the Lakers kept him from being included in the deal for Doncic, giving them a massive advantage in any series they’ll play this postseason — the ability to have three highly intelligent, creative playmakers. And, if trends continue, all three can lead the Lakers through the tough moments that are guaranteed to arise between now and their championship goals.

It’s has been a process, Reaves navigating shifting roles and the Lakers’ ever-fluid roster as he’s been one of the most consistent performers for the last three seasons.

But he and former Laker guard D’Angelo Russell often got in each other’s way on the court — and not in any combative way. The two are close friends. But the presence of one meant the sacrifice of the other, and Reaves couldn’t feel fully empowered until the Lakers totally bought in to him.

That happened just before the Lakers’ decision to trade Russell in late December, Reaves hitting a game-winner on Christmas Day against Stephen Curry and the Warriors to add to his growing list of Lakers moments.

He reminded everyone, again, of what he could do when James and Doncic missed a game in Los Angeles against the Indiana Pacers — Reaves led the Lakers to a big win thanks to a career-high 45 points.

Late in the season, James loudly touted Reaves as the league’s most improved player, echoing his yearlong praise of a player he says is an “ultra-competitor, makes big-time shots and doesn’t shy away from the moment.”

He quickly earned James’ trust after joining the team because of his high IQ and competitiveness, which are the same qualities that have helped him bond with Doncic early in his time with the Lakers.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Doncic said of Reaves’ level of play. “I’ve been watching him a lot.”

People outside the organization first really notice two years ago in his first playoff game, when he led the Lakers to a road win against Memphis and shouted “I’m him” after a fourth-quarter bucket iced the game. Yet greatness in the NBA comes with more responsibility than counting stats, and Reaves is starting to fully embrace that part of the job.

“We’re asking a lot out of him and he’s performed and lived up to everything we’ve asked him to do. So I think the next step is him just being more vocal cause a lot of times he has stuff to say,” Jarred Vanderbilt said.

Lakers star LeBron James, center, jokes around with guard Austin Reaves as the Lakers take a commanding lead against the Houston Rockets.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

And this season, it’s been one of the areas Redick has encouraged him to grow.

In meetings with Reaves this season, Redick has encouraged better decision making. “You gotta allow the Pistol Pete s— to some degree because it’s what makes him Austin,” the coach said. He’s worked with him on handling his added on-court responsibilities and challenged him to be more vocal.

Reaves has done that — even embracing his part in the meeting with Redick, James and Doncic when the Lakers’ coach leaned on his stars to solve the biggest remaining riddle for the team.

“Them being able to accept that challenge of figuring something out on the fly in the middle of a season — we challenged all three of those guys on that. And Austin’s great to coach, awesome to coach. And, he’s accepted every challenge and exceeded any sort of baseline level of response that we could expect from him.”