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Austin Reaves became an important player in the Los Angeles Lakers' run to the Western Conference Finals. And he did it very quickly.
Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021, averaged 16.4 points, 4.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds over the last 16 games of the season. He was an offensive weapon for the Lakers, who put him in isolation scenarios and trusted him alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
His improvement paid off. Reaves has received his own signature shoe, called the “AR1” from Chinese sports brand Rigorer. They are available on Rigorer's website for $90.99.
Reaves joined Stadium and The Athletic reporter Shams Charania to discuss his shoe deal, which is expected to earn him over seven figures per year.
“Honestly, blessed,” Reaves said. “Like I said earlier, if you would have told me I had a signature shoe at 18 (years old), I would have looked at you and called you a liar. There's probably 20-something people in the NBA that have a signature shoe. Honestly, I'm blessed to play basketball for a living, and I have to pinch myself sometimes to really understand what's going on.”
This is a very important offseason for Reaves. He has earned himself a big deal as a restricted free agent, where teams can send him a qualifying offer sheet that the Lakers can choose to match.
Given that he did not slow down in the postseason — he averaged 16.9 points on 46.4 percent shooting (44.3 percent from 3-point range) with 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game — Reaves has great value on the marketplace. Some team is going to covet his services and get him a contract he deserves.
Reaves will also take part in the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Team USA.
