Thousands of Filipino basketball fans flocked to the MOA Arena on Saturday to watch Team USA battle New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup.
The crowd went to see spectacular plays from the Americans, especially from Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves.
Reaves received the loudest ovation among Team USA players during the introduction. The cheers continued when he started making plays in the actual game.
The cheers he received from Filipino fans did not surprise the Lakers shooting guard.
“Yeah, I kind of seen it coming. I was talking to Phil Handy, you know, and he was telling me that, you know, they love the Lakers out here, so I kind of seen it coming,” Reaves said in the post-game press conference. “And then, just you know, it’s special for me. You know, I’m you know from a super small town, obviously, you know. I didn’t really, you know. Not a lot of people expected me to be here to represent our country.”
“So for them to accept me the way that they accept me, you know, means a lot to me,” he added.
Reaves finished with 12 points, six assists, and three steals as Team USA defeated New Zealand, 99-72. (MJD)
Philippines gave out Austin Reaves the loudest ovation during the Team USA player intros
(via @FIBAWC) pic.twitter.com/7uPe8xAf5G
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 26, 2023
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