Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers is heading to the Philippines quickly as a part of the US males’s nationwide basketball workforce which can play within the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Ahead of the World Cup, Reaves talked about how massive a basketball nation the Philippines is.
In a video posted by the 2023 FIBA World Cup on its social media accounts on Wednesday, Reaves was requested about Filipino basketball followers.
“I’ve heard that they’re big Laker fans which I love obviously,” Reaves mentioned. “But they’re huge basketball fans all in all.”
Austin Reaves reveals his dream all-time USA beginning 5 ????#FIBAWC x #WinForUSA ???????? pic.twitter.com/EaM5n0Sdfu
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ???? (@FIBAWC) August 16, 2023
Reaves additionally talked about different gamers he’s trying ahead to compete towards within the world basketball tourney.
“I definitely want to play Dennis [Schröder],” Reaves mentioned. “He’s a really good friend of mine. Obviously he’s going to Toronto next year which I’m kind of sad about but I’m happy for him.”
“But I definitely want to compete against him,” Reaves mentioned about his former teammate.
The Toronto Raptors lately acquired the companies of Schröder in a multi-year deal.
The Lakers guard additionally talked about Team USA coach Steve Kerr and what he brings into the workforce.
“I think it’s just a lot of high IQ to the game and a sense of, that kind of championship DNA because he’s won four in the past 10 years or so, so I think he’s just a professional at his job,” Reaves mentioned.
As a participant, Kerr has received the NBA championship 5 occasions, and received the title 4 occasions as coach of the Golden State Warriors.
For Reaves, profitable within the World Cup “means everything.”
“Winning at the end of the day is the main goal anytime you step on the floor, but to put the USA across your jersey and go win, that’s the main goal,” he added.
Reaves will be part of the likes of Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart in Team USA for the World Cup.
He can be one of many many NBA stars who will see motion within the World Cup, together with the likes of Jordan Clarkson for the Philippines, Luka Doncic for Slovenia, and Karl Anthony Towns for the Dominican Republic.
USA is grouped with Jordan, Greece, and New Zealand in Group C which can play on the Mall of Asia Arena.
The United States will open their World Cup marketing campaign towards the New Zealand Tall Blacks on August 26, adopted by Greece on August 28, and Jordan on August 30.
The Philippine males’s nationwide basketball workforce Gilas Pilipinas, in the meantime, will open their World Cup marketing campaign on August 25 towards Dominican Republic on the Philippine Arena, adopted by their matches towards Angola on August 27 and Italy on August 29 on the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Along with the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia can even host the group stage matches of the World Cup, whereas the ultimate section of the event can be held in Manila. The males’s basketball World Cup will run till September 10.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
