Lakers' Austin Reaves releases $100 Rigorer AR1 ‘Milky Way’ shoe just in time for NBA Cup final
Earlier this week, Austin Reaves and Rigorer announced an exciting new deal. Per a press release sent to Sportskeeda's Evan Bell earlier in the week, Reaves signed a seven-figure extension with the brand that also sees him named as a shareholder. As part of the exciting announcement, Reaves also announced a new colorway of his Rigorer AR1 shoes.
At the time of the announcement, we provided unreleased first-look images of the new AR1 Milky Way shoe, however, now the shoe has officially hit the market. Much like past AR1 releases, the shoes are available exclusively through Rigorer and KickCrew.com, with the shoes priced at $100.
With release day finally upon us, the shoes are now available for purchase. In honor of the release, Reaves and Kicks Crew have been holding signups for a giveaway for a free pair of the Rigorer AR1 Milky Way shoes.
Check out more photos, below:
Of course, the release coincides with the finals of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament on Saturday night. Throughout the buildup to the release of the shoes, Austin Reaves has been wearing them on-court, including during NBA In-Season Tournament games.
Looking at Austin Reaves & the LA Lakers' hopes of winning the inaugural NBA Cup
As previously mentioned, on Saturday, December 9, Austin Reaves and the LA Lakers will take on the Indiana Pacers in the final of the NBA In-Season Tournament. Throughout the tournament, both the Lakers and the Pacers have gone undefeated, winning all four group stage games before the knockout rounds.
With the Lakers dispatching the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinals, and the Pacers knocking out the Milwaukee Bucks, the stage is set for the finals. Currently, per FanDuel Sportsbook, the Lakers are -178 favorites to win the finals, with the Pacers as +150 underdogs.
Game after game, Tyrese Haliburton has shown that he can rise to the occasion and fuel the Pacers to success. In the team's most recent game against the Bucks, he recorded 27 points and 15 assists, giving the team a late-game push over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
On the flip side, the LA Lakers dominated the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference semifinal matchup. Largely fueled by LeBron James' 30-point performance in just 23 minutes that saw him go 4-4 from downtown and 9-12 from the field, the Lakers secured a 133-89 win.
During the win, Austin Reaves was notably the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points in just 23 minutes behind LeBron James. When the two teams collide on Saturday night, expect fireworks from Austin Reaves and the Lakers, as well as Haliburton and the Pacers.