Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves may still have a way to go before he fulfills his potential as a pro basketball player, but he is already getting noticed.
In fact, he just signed a pretty lucrative sneaker deal.
Was it with Nike, Converse, Adidas or Under Armor? No.
The rookie inked a deal with Rigorer, a company located in China that describes itself as a “sporting goods brand who specialize in basketball products and offer an extensive range of protection gear.”
Even though Rigorer may not be a prominent sneaker company, it is still quite an accomplishment for an undrafted player who wasn’t expected to become a rotation player in the NBA.
OFFICIAL: Lakers wing Austin Reaves has signed a multi-year shoe deal with Rigorer, becoming the Chinese brand’s
1st NBA endorser.He’ll headline the War Ender 1.0 Pro shoe next season. pic.twitter.com/ZuX8tMd7pR
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) April 28, 2022
Some of Reaves’ fellow Lakers have displayed their excitement for his new deal on social media.
Austin's teammates are excited about his newfound shoe endorser status. pic.twitter.com/b2148wMA4A
— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) April 28, 2022
It goes to show observers the power of the Lakers brand, which is still the biggest and most famous one across the globe, thanks to their 17 NBA world championships and iconic players such as LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, of course, was a hugely famous and beloved figure in China during his playing days and helped popularize the sport of basketball in that country.
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