As Team USA readies for their 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinal clash with Germany, the rise of Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves to stardom continues to captivate fans. This time, he’s achieving it through a partnership with Rigorer.
On Thursday, renowned global sneaker retailer KICKS CREW and high-performance brand Rigorer announced a surprise drop of 1,000 pairs of their new “Stars and Stripes” colorway AR1. This special edition follows the earlier release of the Ice Cream colorway just last month. The “Stars and Stripes” version will be exclusively available on KICKS CREW starting on Saturday, September 9th, priced at $110 per pair.
In addition to the shoes themselves, Rigorer has crafted exclusive special packaging for the AR1 “Stars and Stripes” surprise drop. Each package includes a pair of socks designed to complement the AR1’s and lettering to mirror the Team USA jersey.
Reaves made his debut in the “Stars and Stripes” colorway during the World Cup and officially unveiled it to the public at an event hosted by Rigorer and KICKS CREW. His sizable Filipino fanbase has embraced him wholeheartedly during the tournament, making him a fan favorite.
“I’m delighted that we could partner with KICKS CREW to turn my vision of offering high-performance shoes to fans worldwide into a reality,” said Austin Reaves in a statement.
KICKS CREW co-founder Ross Adrian Yip added, “The KICKS CREW team is thrilled to be the exclusive launch partner for Austin Reaves’ signature shoe. We share the same goal of providing fans and consumers access to top-quality products from around the world, and I’m proud that KICKS CREW is the platform bringing that to life.”
The release of the USA-themed shoe colorway coincides with Austin Reaves and Team USA’s qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics and their advancement to the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinals. Despite not starting in a single game for Team USA during the tournament, Reaves has logged an impressive 19.3 minutes per game, ranking fifth-highest on the team. For context, Anthony Edwards leads the team in minutes per game at 22.8. In six appearances, Reaves has maintained an average of 11 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
This summer, Austin Reaves also secured a lucrative four-year, $56 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers during the early stages of free agency.
