FIRST LOOK: Austin Reaves and Rigorer set to drop AR2 'Milky Way' on Jan. 11 with KICKS CREW

Amid a hot streak for Austin Reaves, LA's starting guard and Rigorer are preparing to roll out an all-new colorway of his signature shoe, the Rigorer AR2 on Saturday, Jan. 11. According to a press release from KICKS CREW sent to Sportskeeda's Evan Bell, the global sneaker marketplace will be handling the release of the Rigorer AR2 'Milky Way' on Saturday.

The all-new colorway is primarily purple, blending various shades of lilac, and periwinkle with blue accents inspired by the Milky Way galaxy. The release is set to be the third colorway of the AR2 since the shoe's release in December, which came after quite a bit of anticipation following a summer teaser of the AR2.

The Milky Way colorway of the Rigorer AR2 will drop on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 11 AM ET (8 AM PT) exclusively on KICKS CREW's site and Rigorer.com for $100. No word on how many pairs will be up for sale, however, the aforementioned press release from KICKS CREW dubbed this as a limited edition release.

The shoes are considered to be a major step forward for Rigorer, the Chinese brand founded by former Chinese CBA player Lin Chenyao in 2014.

With an all-new ultra-breathable lightweight design and Full-Length Showtime Foam Tech Midsole, the AR2 is both lighter and more cushioned than its predecessor while maintaining superb traction and responsiveness.

Below, you can see some pictures of the Rigorer AR2 Milky Way courtesy of KICKS CREW.

Images provided directly to Sportskeeda courtesy of KICKS CREW

Images provided directly to Sportskeeda courtesy of KICKS CREW

"It's gotta be the shoes!" Looking at Austin Reaves' recent surge since the release of the Rigorer AR2

This year, Austin Reaves is averaging career-highs in a number of categories while maintaining his efficiency from the floor. Over 30 games under coach JJ Redick this season Reaves is averaging a career-high 18.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Additionally, Reaves has also shown a new level to his game while wearing the Rigorer AR2. As Spike Lee's famed commercial with Michael Jordan from the 1990s said, "It's gotta be the shoes!"

On Christmas Day, Austin Reaves recorded his third career triple-double leading LA to a 115-113 win over Golden State with a game-winning bucket. He then followed it up a couple days later with a 26-point 16-assist outing as the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 132-122.

Then, on New Year's Eve, Reaves tied his career-high in scoring with 35 points, flirting with a triple-double once again as he logged nine rebounds and ten assists. Over the past two weeks, Reaves is averaging a whopping 23.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game on 44.1% from the field.

With the young guard showing no signs of slowing down, the release of the Rigorer AR2 Milky Way marks an exciting time in Austin Reaves' career.