It’s almost that time of the year – Basketball season! With the NBA season about to start, trades finalized, and with players reporting to training camp and the season opener set, the National Weekly looks at a few of the NBA players with Caribbean heritage.
Roy Hibbert
Born in Queens, NYC, to a Jamaican father and a Trinidadian mother, Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert has chosen to represent Jamaica in international basketball competition.
Carmelo Anthony
Though his Puerto Rican father, Carmelo Anthony Sr., died when he was only two, Carmelo Jr. has reconnected with his roots in recent years, contributing to community rebuilding projects in the island.
Tim Duncan
5 time NBA champion Tim Duncan was born and raised in Christiansted, a town in Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the US Virgin Islands. Duncan has been honored with the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed by the Virgin Islands territorial government, and has been celebrated in several “Tim Duncan Day” ceremonies.
Al Harford
Al Horford, who’s full name is actually Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso was born in Puerto Plato, DR. The younger brother of former NBA player Tito Horford , Al was part of the Florida Gators team along with Joakim Noah that won repeat NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008, and appeared in each of the last two NBA All-Star games.
Charlie Villanueva
Dallas Maverick forward Charlie Villanuva lobbied the International Basketball Federation in 2009 to be allowed to represent the Dominican Republic in international play, after previously repping the USA. Villanueva, who suffers from the skin disease alopecia areata, received the Community Assist Award from the NBA for his work as spokesman for the NAAF National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
