Lakers' Reaves explains origin of 'Hillbilly Kobe' nickname

Austin Reaves has gone by "Hillbilly Kobe" since college, but the nickname carries more weight now that he's a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The undrafted rookie, who grew up on a farm in Arkansas, explained how he got the nickname during the Lakers' media day Tuesday.

"My first year at Oklahoma we had a (graduate assistant)," Reaves said. "He came up to me one day and was like, 'I figured it out.' And I was like, 'Uh, what are you even talking about?' And he was like, 'HBK.' And I was like, 'What?' He was like, 'Hillbilly Kobe.' I was like, 'Aw, whatever,' and then one of the teammates heard it and it just stuck.

"So for three years that's what they said around, I mean, just Oklahoma and I then guess people caught wind of it elsewhere. But, I mean, it is what it is. I just move forward from it."

When asked if he's more hillbilly or more like Kobe Bryant, Reaves responded, "Man, I don't even know. We'll go 50-50."

The 23-year-old Reaves began his college career at Wichita State before transferring to Oklahoma in 2018. He averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game last season for the Sooners.