In case you didn’t know, The Philippines is basketball land. Filipino fans also have a lot of love for the Los Angeles Lakers, which is exactly what Austin Reaves has been experiencing throughout his FIBA World Cup journey with Team USA.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves ‘Shocked’ By Insane Amount of Love From Filipino Fans
In a recent interview, Reaves detailed how “shocked” he has been by the tremendous amount of support he has received on a personal level. The Lakers guard revealed that The Philippines is pretty much an extension of LA in terms of the nation’s unwavering loyalty to the purple and gold:
“I would say 80% all Lakers fans,” Reaves said. “… I actually went and played golf a couple of days ago and everybody out on the course gravitated towards me, asking for pictures and stuff like that.
“It’s been a lot of fun, (it’s) just I never thought, me personally, I would be known like this. I could see it in the States cause that’s where I’m from… But to get that love overseas in a different country, it’s a little shocking.”
"I never thought I would be known like this. I could see it in the States cause that's where I'm from… But to get that love overseas in a different country, it's a little shocking."
Austin Reaves on being a fan favorite in the Philippines
(via @latimes)pic.twitter.com/6wGoqROojd
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 1, 2023
It goes without saying that Austin Reaves has come a very long way. From an undrafted rookie out of Newark, Arkansas, the 25-year-old is now representing the country in one of the most prestigious international tournaments in basketball.
Reaves isn’t with the team on a free ride either. On Friday, the Lakers stud had another noteworthy performance as the Americans fought off a formidable challenge from Montenegro to secure an 85-73 victory. This was the closest game Team USA has had through their four matchups in the FIBA World Cup, and Reaves played a key role yet again in the win.
The 6-foot-5 Lakers shooting guard logged 25 minutes off the bench to score 12 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the charity stripe. Reaves also logged two rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block in another all-around performance.
Team USA will be back in action on Sunday to test their spotless record against Jonas Valanciunas and an undefeated Lithuania side (they battle Greece later today). Expect another impressive outing from Austin Reaves in that one.
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