Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma said Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves should embrace the “Hillbilly Kobe” nickname.
Earlier this year, the second-year pro said he’s not a huge fan of the nicknames “AR-15” and “Hillbilly Kobe.” He cited the recent shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and Kobe Bryant’s death as reasons he would like fans to find other names.
“I don’t condone any gun violence that happens around our country,” he said in an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “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’s been others, like the ‘Hillbilly Kobe,’ that probably aren’t the best thing in the situation that’s going on, with Kobe’s passing.”
Golden State Warriors’ enforcer Draymond Green thinks he should stay with the Hillbilly Kobe name.
“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,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “You should take those nicknames and try to run with them.”
“Hillbilly Kobe is lit… That sh*t is fire,” former Laker Kyle Kuzma added.
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The second-year guard added he’s “open to new ideas” from Lakers fans.
Reaves 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 averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 61 games while playing some terrific defense.
