​Photo by Luke Hales/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves has a Kobe Bryant reason to wear Nike shoes.With the departure of LeBron James in the offseason, Austin Reaves is expected to fulfill a major role for the Los Angeles Lakers in the upcoming campaign.Before that, Reaves had already made headlines during the preseason, but not because of his prowess. It’s due to sharp-eyed fans noticing Reaves flaunting Nike sneakers.Now, why is that a problem? Well, Reaves has a signature sneaker deal with Chinese apparel brand Rigorer.Austin Reaves says he’s wearing Nike shoes due to his ‘love’ for Kobe BryantThe sneakers that Reaves has worn in practice sessions are specifically from NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s signature shoe line with Nike.Reaves was asked about the reasoning behind it when a video of him wearing the Nike Kobe 5 Protros went viral.“Basketball shoes,” Reaves said while looking down. “I’m a big Kobe fan, so I just wear some Kobes.”Reaves remains a Rigorer athlete, at least for now. But fans are still wondering if these are early signs of a potential sneaker free agency for the Lakers star.But would Nike be open to handing Reaves a signature shoe deal like Rigorer has? That’s something for Nike executives to answer.Read more:Austin Reaves reveals the one communication issue he and Luka Doncic have to work on for LakersAustin Reaves sparks reunion rumors with LeBron and Bronny James during friendly golf sessionFormer Lakers star names player more important to the team’s success than Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves