Los Angeles Lakers rookie Austin Reaves made a great impression in his debut season, making a name for himself as a promising two-way guard.
The Lakers found another gem among overlooked players in the NBA draft, signing Reaves to a two-way deal after none of the teams used their picks to select the Oklahoma alum in 2021.
The 23-year-old would quickly prove his value in the offseason, leading to L.A. upgrading his contract and making him a full-time player before the 2021-22 campaign’s tip-off.
Reaves ended up clocking in 23.2 minutes per game during the season, starting 19 of the 61 games he played for the Lakers. He stood out particularly thanks to his hustle and basketball IQ on the defensive side of the ball.
And the guard has been rewarded for exceeding expectations, as he has signed a shoe deal with Chinese sportswear brand Rigorer, becoming its first NBA endorser.
“I’m excited to announce that I’m joining Team Rigorer with all these young and promising fellas,” the Lakers guard wrote in an Instagram post.
“I’ll be wearing Rigorer War Ender 1.0 pro next season in the NBA. Stay tuned!”
Reaves joins former NBA player Jimmer Fredette as Rigorer’s brand ambassador. Stanley Johnson, Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn responded to their Lakers teammate’s post to congratulate him on getting the sponsorship deal.
Reaves averaged 7.3 points and 1.8 assists in 2021-22, shooting 45.9% from the field and 31.7% from downtown.
Reaves appreciate of Frank Vogel giving him a chance
The Lakers failed to qualify for the playoffs after a disappointing 2021-22 season, leading to the firing of head coach Frank Vogel. However, Reaves only had kind words to say about Vogel after showing faith in the young guard’s abilities during his rookie season.
“He gave me a chance,” Reaves said. “Undrafted, threw me in the rotation early, showed that he had faith in me so like Malik said, nothing but praise for him, appreciate him and hope the best for his career moving forward.”
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