Austin Reaves has carved out an essential role as a rotation player for the Los Angeles Lakers in his second year since entering the league as an undrafted free agent. His surprise emergence will now go a step further, as the Chinese performance brand Rigorer is giving Reaves his own signature sneaker.
ESPN’s Nick DePaula broke the news Saturday, April 1, and it’s no April Fool’s Day prank. Last year, Reaves became the first NBA player to sign with Rigorer, which was founded in 2014 by a former Chinese Basketball Association player. He’s been playing this season in the Rigorer War-Ender, a shoe that may have caught your attention with the brand’s crosshair logo. This summer, however, Rigorer will release the AR1 as a first signature sneaker for both parties.
For now, the only image of the AR1 is a digital rendering. Although no technical specifications have been revealed, a Lakers-friendly colorway looks to feature purple and yellow splotches across a black knit upper reinforced with TPU wiring. The white, wavy white midsole features two yellow windows and a slight purple gradient at the forefoot, while the tongue makes use of a purple-to-yellow gradient. Rigorer’s crosshair logo appears prominently bellow the collar, and though we can’t make it out yet, the heel appears as if it bears a a mark for Reaves.
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