Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves reportedly has signed a shoe deal with a Chinese company called Rigorer.
Reaves is the company’s first NBA endorser, and he will wear the War Ender 1.0 Pro in the 2022-23 season.
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
This is a big step for the Lakers guard, as Reaves has shown he can be a solid contributor at the NBA level after going undrafted.
As a rookie in the 2021-22 season, Reaves averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The 2021-22 regular season was a tough one for the Lakers, as they missed the playoffs and play-in tournament by finishing in the No. 11 spot in the Western Conference.
However, Reaves was a bright spot for the team, as he appeared in 61 games and carved out a solid role in the rotation, playing 23.2 minutes per game.
Reaves’ play has certainly improved his personal brand, and he was recognized enough by Rigorer for the company to offer him a shoe deal.
The Lakers are going to need to make some serious changes to their roster in the offseason, but Reaves seems to be one of the players that the team should keep moving forward.
The 23-year-old fits in nicely as an off-ball guard, and he has shown that he won’t back down to any defensive assignment.
As the Lakers attempt to surround Anthony Davis and LeBron James with more talent in the 2022-23 season, Reaves appears to be a rotation piece the team can count on.
