“Don’t condone any gun violence” – When Austin Reaves DITCHED ‘AR-15’ nickname to disassociate from America’s gun culture
Austin Reaves talks about why he ditched his controversial nicknames, which includes one that named him after an assault rifle.
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Austin Reaves, a.k.a. Hillbilly Kobe, speaks to reporters (Via Harry How / Getty Images)
Austin Reaves had a breakout season with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he also gained some nicknames that he’s not too fond of. The most common ones are “AR-15” and “Hillbilly Kobe,” but Reaves wants to ditch them and find something more suitable.
The AR-15 nickname comes from his initials and his jersey number, but it also happens to be the name of a semi-automatic rifle that has been involved in several mass shootings in the U.S.
“I don’t support any gun violence that happens in our country,” Reaves told ESPN. “But you can’t really control what people call you. I mean, I didn’t say that was my name. There’s also the ‘Hillbilly Kobe’ one, which probably isn’t the best thing either, considering what happened to Kobe and his legacy.”
Reaves was referring to the tragic death of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with his daughter Gianna and seven others. Bryant was one of the best players ever and a role model for many young players, including Reaves.
As for a new nickname, Reaves trusts Lakers fans and is open to their ideas.
“I’m always up for new suggestions,” he told ESPN. “Because there might be another one that’s better than the ones before. So I’m always ready for people to be creative and think of new things for me. That stuff helps us too with our branding and stuff like that.”
Austin Reaves shines in Game 6 win over Warriors
Reaves was the star of the show as the Lakers knocked out the Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Saturday night. He scored 23 points, dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds, while only turning the ball over twice as the primary playmaker for LA.
He also made the highlight of the night with a half-court buzzer-beater to end the first half, sending the Cryoto.com Arena into a frenzy. “I just let it fly,” Reaves said. “I didn’t think it was going in, but it felt good when it left my hand.”
The Warriors, meanwhile, looked lost and frustrated. They struggled to make shots from anywhere on the court, missing open looks and forcing bad ones. Stephen Curry was the only Warrior who showed up, scoring 32 points and trying to keep his team alive. But he got no help from his co-star Klay Thompson, who had another dismal game with eight points on 3-of-19 shooting.
The Lakers will now face the Nuggets, who also won their series in six games against the Suns. The Nuggets are led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, who averaged 33 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the series.
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Ankush Singh
(616 Articles Published)