The on-court prowess of NBA stars often brings in fortune worth a lifetime for them. Something similar happened to the basketball sensation Austin Reaves as he signed a deal with a Chinese company to endorse their product. Notably, he rejected an American billion-dollar brand in the process.

This move from the Los Angeles Lakers star has raised concerns amongst the fans. The Laker fandom has combined to question the durability of the products of that brand.

Who did Austin Reaves sign for?

The 25-year-old’s rise since his arrival to the NBA has been exemplary. Despite being an undrafted free agent just two years back, he has shown the potential to become the face of the league. The Chinese organization Rigoner thus wasted no time in signing him and creating a signature sneaker brand around him.

Hillbilly Kobe could debut in his Rigorer AR1 shoes in the 2023/24 NBA season. Talking about his experience surrounding the deal, he reportedly expressed his gratitude. Despite this being a milestone in the guard’s career till now, this move came as a surprise for a different reason.

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Reaves previously was seen stepping on the NBA court wearing Nike shoes. So his snubbing of a billion-dollar company to sign a seven-figure deal with Rigoner came as a bit of a shocker. The supporters of the Lakers were not happy with his decision and took to Reddit to express their displeasure.

How are the Laker fans taking the news?

One fan raised a question, “Anyone else notice that Reaves is retying his shoes more often during FIBA games?” to showcase doubts over the quality of the brand’s product. Another agreed to it, mentioning how it could lead to a decline in performances. “That’s going to mess up his feet and his mechanics over time,” the supporter said.

The concern became prominent with answers such as “Yea maybe its the quality of the shoes” and “Those shoes suck” taking precedence. One Laker fan in particular mentioned how this might lead to Lonzo Ball‘s situation. “This better not be a bbb lonzo ball situation,” the supported commented.

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It is fair to state that Reaves’ sneaker brand choice is deemed as a poor one by the fans. Now it’s time for Rigoner to silence everyone with their product just how their first ever singed NBA athlete always does.