Austin Reaves made his debut for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, and it couldn't have gone any better. The Los Angeles Lakers star entered the game to a roaring Filipino crowd. Fans chanted his name and rooted for the young forward. Reaves repaid the applause with a masterful all-around performance for Team USA to lead them to victory.

After the game, Austin Reaves was asked about the reaction of the Philippine crowd to his presence, per Naveen Ganglani. The Lakers star admitted that Phil Handy told him about this, but he said that it was special for him considering where he came from.

“Austin Reaves on the wild reception from the fans: I kinda saw it coming. I was talking to Phil Handy & he was telling me they love the Lakers out here. It's special for me. I'm a super small town. Not a lot expected me to be here, repping USA, so for 'em to accept me means a lot to me.”

Indeed, the Lakers have a strong fanbase in the Philippines. They're arguably the most popular team in the country, with the Warriors being a close second. It might have something to do with LeBron James' presence, or just the LA allure in general. Either way, Reaves' popularity as a Lakers star extended all the way to the Philippines. It wasn't exactly a surprise to see Reaves get this much love from the Filipino fanbase.

Reaves made sure to put on a show for the Philippine crowd in the FIBA World Cup, too! The Lakers swingman tallied 12 points, six assists, three steals, and two rebounds to lead Team USA to victory. After a rough start to the game, the US team found their groove and cruised to