A clip circulating on social media features Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers signing a fan’s rice cooker at a public autograph signing.
Filipino Mexican Lakers fan Patrick De Los Rios jokingly brought a rice cooker to shooting guard Reaves’ autograph signing at Rowland Heights, California, on Feb. 6. The video of his meet-and-greet subsequently went viral on social media.
“When my cousin told me about the meet-and-greet with Austin Reaves, I didn’t really have anything Lakers for him to sign,” De Los Rios told NextShark. “I have a Lebron jersey and a Lonzo shirt, but I didn’t really want him to sign that, because it’s not him. I also have a Lakers hat, but it was already signed by Jeremy Lin, so I didn’t want him to sign that hat either.”
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“I was looking around my room and going into the kitchen, as I was hungry, and I saw my rice cooker,” he added. “I was like, ‘You know, that’s pretty interesting.’ It takes me back to years ago when a fan brought a toaster to Klay Thompson to sign it.”
De Los Rios shared that one of his favorite movies is the 2008 film “Step Brothers,” from which he was inspired by a particular scene wherein Will Ferrell pulls out a sword signed by Randy Jackson.
“It was like the most randomest [sic] thing,” he said. “So I thought, ‘You know what? Let me do that, too.’ I thought it would be funny, and it would be fun for him. I didn’t want to bring a basketball or a picture, because everyone does that. I wanted to be a little different. And I love rice!”
While De Los Rios was nervous that his rice cooker would be rejected at the meet-and-greet, he was reassured by the positive energy in the room. As seen on the viral video, Reaves appears to laugh as his fan places the rice cooker in front of him.
“I told him he’s invited to the family gatherings,” De Los Rios jokingly said. “I see this rice cooker everyday, so now when I look at it, I’ll see his signature.”
