Austin Reaves has become one of the most recognizable players on the Los Angeles Lakers, but his relationship began long before NBA crowds knew his name. The Lakers guard’s longtime girlfriend, Jenna Barber, has been beside him since their teenage years in Arkansas.
Reaves and Barber are high school sweethearts who reportedly began dating in 2014. More than a decade later, they remain together as Reaves prepares for another NBA season in Los Angeles.
Despite the attention surrounding the Lakers star, the couple has generally avoided turning their relationship into a public spectacle. Barber occasionally provides glimpses into their life together, however, and a playful vacation video put the pair back in the headlines in September 2026.
Who Is Jenna Barber?
Jenna Barber is Austin Reaves’ longtime girlfriend and a native of Newark, Arkansas, the same small community where Reaves grew up.
She attended Cedar Ridge High School before continuing her education in Arkansas. Barber earned an associate degree in science from the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville and later graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2022.
She subsequently enrolled at Logan College of Chiropractic. Barber has also previously worked at Newark Pharmacy and was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi while attending the University of Arkansas.
Unlike Reaves, whose career puts him before millions of basketball fans, Barber has largely maintained a quieter public profile.
High School Romance
Austin and Jenna’s story goes back to Cedar Ridge High School in Newark.
The two reportedly began dating in 2014, years before Reaves reached college basketball or entered the NBA. Their relationship therefore stretches across virtually every major stage of his basketball journey.
Reaves eventually left Arkansas to play college basketball at Wichita State before transferring to Oklahoma. The distance did not end the relationship.
His career changed dramatically again when he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and subsequently joined the Lakers. He worked his way from an undrafted prospect into an important part of one of basketball’s most famous franchises.
Through those changes, Barber remained a consistent presence in his personal life.
Keeping Things Private
One reason fans continually search for information about Austin Reaves’ girlfriend is that Reaves rarely makes his relationship the center of his public persona.
His social media presence largely revolves around basketball and professional commitments. Barber has been more willing to share occasional moments from their relationship, including vacations, birthdays and other personal occasions.
That does not mean they are hiding their relationship. Instead, they appear to have maintained a relatively low-key approach despite Reaves’ increasing fame.
Barber has also been spotted supporting him during significant basketball moments. She attended games and traveled internationally when Reaves represented the United States at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
She was also in Oklahoma City supporting him during the Lakers’ 2026 postseason run.
Viral Vacation Moment
The couple attracted fresh attention in early September 2026 for a much lighter reason.
Reaves and Barber were spending part of the NBA offseason on vacation when Barber shared footage of a group workout. Reaves could be seen pushing through abdominal exercises before ending up exhausted on the ground.
Barber couldn’t resist teasing him.
Her post joked that the women participating had better form than the men. The clip quickly circulated through sports media, offering fans an unusually relaxed look at Reaves away from NBA competition.
The exact vacation location was not publicly identified, although posts showed the group spending time near the ocean.
For a couple known for keeping their private life relatively quiet, the humorous clip provided a rare glimpse of their everyday dynamic.
Courtside Support
Barber’s support has also been particularly visible during more difficult stretches of Reaves’ career.
When the Lakers guard dealt with an injury during the 2025-26 season, Barber shared her excitement as he prepared to return to action. One social media moment showed the couple embracing courtside ahead of his comeback.
Earlier during his recovery, the pair also enjoyed a low-key date night at an escape room while Reaves remained away from game action.
Those moments highlight a relationship that existed well before the celebrity attention attached to playing for the Lakers.
Celebrity Rumors
Reaves’ rising profile has inevitably produced online rumors about his dating life.
Perhaps the best-known example involved Taylor Swift in 2023. Social media speculation suggested Reaves had been spotted with the singer, but the story had no solid basis.
Reaves himself addressed the rumor and said he had never met Swift.
The important detail frequently lost in viral speculation is that Reaves’ long-running relationship with Barber has continued throughout his rise with the Lakers.
That makes sensational claims linking him romantically with celebrities worth treating skeptically unless they are supported by credible reporting.
Life Beyond Basketball
Barber and Reaves appear to share interests beyond basketball.
Golf has repeatedly appeared in glimpses of their life together. The couple attended the 2023 U.S. Open, and Barber has previously shared pictures of their time on golf courses.
Barber also enjoys an active lifestyle, with hiking, biking and horseback riding among the activities associated with her interests.
Their relationship has consequently developed alongside two very different paths: Reaves’ increasingly public NBA career and Barber’s education and life largely outside professional sports.
Still Together in 2026
For fans wondering who Austin Reaves’ girlfriend is in 2026, the answer remains Jenna Barber.
Recent vacation posts provide fresh evidence that the high school sweethearts are still together more than a decade after their relationship reportedly began.
Their story stands out because it predates the Lakers, NBA contracts and the attention Reaves now receives as a professional athlete.
Barber knew Reaves when they were teenagers attending the same Arkansas high school. She remained part of his life through college basketball, his undrafted entry into the NBA and his transformation into a prominent Lakers guard.
More than 10 years after they started dating, the couple still tends to keep the biggest parts of that relationship to themselves. Every now and then, though, Barber gives fans a glimpse—and her September 2026 workout joke showed that even an NBA star isn’t safe from being roasted by his high school sweetheart.
