JUST a small town boy, living in a lavish Laker world.
From entering the NBA in 2021 as an undrafted prospect, Austin Reaves has made quite a name for himself in two seasons with L.A. and in his fan-crazed Team USA debut at the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup.
READ: Team USA shrugs off shaky start to beat New Zealand by 27
Emerging from the roars and cheers of the Filipino crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena, the 25-year-old scoring ace was taken aback by the outpour of support that went his way.
"It's special for me. I'm from a super small town. Not a lot of people expected me to be here representing our country. So for (the fans) to accept me the way that they accept me, it means a lot to me," Reaves shared in the post-game press conference.
The 'super small town' he alluded to was Newark, Arkansas — a five-kilometer wide city with a population of 1,180 (as of 2020). That was where his love for the game sprung.
Newark's Cedar Ridge High School was where Reaves had his first taste of competitive basketball. He won back-to-back state titles in his first two seasons and copped the MVP plum as a senior, averaging 32.5 points per game.
Feeling the Laker love
Nearly a decade later, Reaves continues to flourish as a fast-rising star of the NBA's most storied franchise.
And thus, the Filipino fanfare anchored on a longstanding love for the Lakers and the sport altogether did not come as a surprise to the American ace.
“I kind of seen it coming. I was talking to (Lakers assistant coach) Phil Handy and he was telling me that they love the Lakers out here so I kind of seen it coming," Reaves bared.
No dream's too big
The young Laker star opened his World Cup account with 12 points, six assists, three steals, two rebounds, some acrobatic plays, long-range shots, and a whole nation away from home cheering him on.
And for the kid who once dreamt of making it big, moments like these in the global showpiece truly meant the world to 'him.'
“Every kid wants to be at this stage. I was one of those kids watching the World Cup, the Olympics. Every day, I wake up, I cherish these moments (of playing for USA), and I don't take them for granted," Reaves said.
"And every day, I get to play with this much talent. It makes it easy for me just because everybody's selfless and there's no egos on the team. It's been real fun for me," he added.
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