In the NBA, it is one thing to be in a team’s starting lineup. It’s another thing to be an All-Star. Winning a world championship is something else entirely.
But it’s safe to say a player has made it when he gets his own signature sneaker.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has played well all season, but he has grown progressively better and emerged as a key player for a team that is gradually surging.
He has averaged 17.4 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 54.9% from the field and 37.8% from 3-point range in March, and in the team’s first game of April, he scored 18 points while dishing eight assists in a 134-109 win over the Houston Rockets.
The Newark, Arkansas, native will have a signature sneaker released this summer by Rigorer.
FIRST LOOK: Austin Reaves is getting his own signature shoe 👀👀
The Rigorer AR1 will be releasing later this summer. pic.twitter.com/FFaUPnQtll
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 2, 2023
Granted, this sneaker hasn’t been produced by a sneaker heavyweight such as Nike, but Rigorer is based in China, and basketball has grown very big there in recent years, which could open some decent marketing opportunities for Reaves.
Of course, he’s on his way to getting a big payday this summer when he will be a free agent — whether he gets paid by the Lakers or some other team.
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