President Luis Abinader awarded Al Horford with the Order of Merit Duarte, Sanchez and Mella, mention knight, the country’s highest honor. Horford had come with his family, wife Amelia Vega and son and four daughters to present the NBA Larry Obrien trophy to President Abinader and the country. Horford flew in with Celtics head coach Joe Mazulla took photographs with President Abinader. Horford said he knew would be received by the Presidency, but he did not know about the decoration.
Throughout the semi-finals and the finals, Dominicans tuned in to watch the games that featured two Dominican national basketball team members, Al Horford and Karl Antony Towns.
During his stay, Horford fulfilled a promise he had made to his father and together with Mazulla and Celtics assistant coach Tony Dobbins gave a basketball clinic at the Polideportivo Eleoncio Mercedes in La Romana. Horford was born in Puerto Plata but grew up in La Romana. Horford is the highest-paid Latin American basketball player of all times.
The Celtics Blog highlighted the persistence of Horford in winning the championship. He accrued more playoff wins (185) than any active NBA player without an NBA championship and made the postseason 14 times before it culminated in the ultimate prize.
“It was very important for me to travel to the Dominican Republic to celebrate this victory with family, friends and loved ones in my homeland; this victory is also my country’s,” Horford said, per the Celtics.
In his visit to the Dominican Republic with his family, Horford also traveled to Puerto Plata where he was born. He was declared citizen of merit of Puerto Plata by the city and province authorities and of course there was much opportunity for government authorities to get photographed with Horford and the NBA trophy.
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16 September 2024