Austin Reaves on Lakers, Shoe Contracts: 'Well Deserved...I've Never Taken Shortcuts'

It has been quite the year for Austin Reaves with a long-term deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, a spot on Team USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a signature shoe deal.

"To say the least, it's been a very amazing year for myself, my family," he told reporters. "A lot of good things have happened. But I feel like it's kind of well deserved. I feel like my whole life I've worked for this. I've never taken shortcuts, it's always been the hard path. And I feel like I finally got rewarded for everything I put into it."

Reaves agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal with the Lakers this offseason, and it is not a stretch to suggest he can be the team's third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis in 2023-24.

After all, he took a leap last season and averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44.3 percent from deep in the postseason run. Throw in the experience he is getting playing alongside notable players on Team USA, and he should be in for an impressive season.

Playing well in Los Angeles comes with its perks, and Reaves agreed to a shoe contract with the Chinese company Rigorer this summer.

Everything seems to be coming together for the 25-year-old, and he believes his hard work is truly paying off.