“Hillbilly Kobe is lit” Draymond Green calls out Austin Reaves over the two-nicknames fiasco
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Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma helping out Austin Reaves in nickname dillema
Experienced NBA Star Draymond Green knows that just like playing style and game IQ plays important role in an athlete’s career, nicknames also have a huge say and impact on his play. So when Los Angeles Lakers’ young star Austin Reaves is open to fans’ inputs for his nickname, Green and former Lakers star Kyle Kuzma weigh in with their opinions. Kuzma appeared on The Draymond Green Show this Thursday and he thinks Austin Reaves should embrace the “Hillbilly Kobe” nickname. He added that the moniker is “lit” and the show host agreed.
Green even said, “You better embrace that one. You kidding me? Any Kobe—Hillbilly Kobe? You should be running with that. By the way, if I’m him and they’re calling me Hillbilly Kobe, I’m trying to be in the next White Men Can’t Jump. I’m trying to really run with that.”
Reaves already had “AR-15” as his initials and jersey number combined in his nickname and Hillbilly Kobe as an ode to his rural Southern upbringing. But back in July, Reaves said that he’d try to distance himself from two nicknames that emerged in his Rookie season.
In an interview with ESPN, the youngster said, “I don’t condone any gun violence that happens around our country. But you can’t really control what [nickname] people give you. I mean, I didn’t come out and say my name was that. There have been others, like the ‘Hillbilly Kobe,’ that probably aren’t the best thing in the situation that’s going on, with Kobe’s passing.”
The second-year guard added he’s “open to new ideas” from Lakers fans. Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma gave their approval to Austin Reaves’ nickname.
Will the Nickname approved by Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma motivate Austin Reaves to improve?
It would be hilarious to consider that nicknames affect the game of an athlete. But then it is also true that the Nicknames they earned do replicate their game and image in the public. We have many NBA Stars whose nicknames are symbolic of their NBA career like “His Airness”, Black Mamba”, “The King” and “Magic”. Yes, we do not need to give the real names of the players as the players are very famous and lived up to the nickname they were given. So don’t laugh out the idea of nicknames affecting an athlete and his game.
As for Reaves, he was one of the bright spots of an otherwise forgettable 2021-22 season for L.A., which missed the playoffs with a 33-49 record. The 24-year-old Arkansas native averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 61 games while playing some terrific wing defense—he ranked in a tie for 12th among shooting guards in FiveThirtyEight’s defensive RAPTOR metric.
Looking at his impact, the Lakers upgraded his two-way contract to a standard 2-year deal in the matter of one month. The undrafted youngster proved to be a Gem for the Lakers when he hit the famous game-winner against the Mavs in overtime.
It’s unclear whether he’s willing to change his stance on Hillbilly Kobe, but he’s slated to once again play a key depth role for the Lakers heading into the 2022-23 season. Hopefully, Reaves will improve on the game with players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis around him.
As for the nickname though, 4-time NBA Champion Draymond Green considers it too early to deny the nickname given by the fans. He said, “I saw Austin Reaves who’s on the Lakers come out the other day that he’s trying to shed two nicknames. And it’s like, brother you have not done enough in your career to be trying to shed nicknames that people gave you. I was really blown away when he said that.”
So, having “Kobe” attached to you, and that too by the Lakers fans should be a great complement. Considering that fact too, Green and Kuzma might have gone with “Hillbilly Kobe”.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)