Only two members of the Los Angeles Lakers have a signature shoe deal. You can probably guess that the first is LeBron James. Surprisingly, the second isn't eight-time All-Star Anthony Davis. How about former All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell? Nope, try again. Russell Westbrook has a signature shoe at Jordan Brand, but he obviously now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. So who's behind Door No. 2?
That would be second-year sensation Austin Reaves, who is quickly emerging as one of the NBA's better young guards. ESPN's Nick DePaula is reporting that Reaves will get a signature shoe from Chinese company Rigorer, which will be called the AR1.
Reaves has been wearing Rigorer shoes throughout the 2022-23 season. He is the first NBA player to sign with Rigorer, but a number of players have signed shoe deals with Chinese apparel companies in recent years. Most notably, Dwyane Wade and C.J. McCollum represent Li-Ning, and Klay Thompson and Gordon Hayward represent Anta.
FIRST LOOK: Austin Reaves is getting his own signature shoe 👀👀
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 2, 2023
The Rigorer AR1 will be releasing later this summer. pic.twitter.com/FFaUPnQtll
Reaves is averaging 12.4 points per game this season, but he's saved his best basketball for when the Lakers have needed it most.
Since James went down in a February game against the Dallas Mavericks, Reaves is averaging 17.4 points per game, and now that James is back, the Lakers have emerged as a legitimate contender to win the Western Conference. Less than two years after going undrafted, Reaves could soon become both a key part of a playoff team and a high-profile sneaker seller.
