AUERBACH CENTER, BOSTON — When the Celtics won Banner 18, basketball history was made in three distinct countries: Al Horford became the first-ever NBA player from the Dominican Republic to win a championship, Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia, and Neemias Queta from Portugal.
All three are back in Boston — with Porzingis just returning from Latvia this week — all newly-crowned champions, and well-aware of the significance of their respective accomplishments.
Horford had perhaps the most unique experience of the trio. Earlier this month, he headed to the Dominican Republic along with his family, Joe Mazzulla, and Celtics assistant coach Tony Tobbins. It was a moment he had dreamed of for a long time — and one that was inspired by when another international player, Manu Ginobili, brought the Larry O’Brien trophy to his home country.
“Years ago, I remember I saw Manu Ginobili with the trophy down in Argentina, and when I saw that all those years ago, I told Amelia, my wife, I was like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to do that one day. I want to have the opportunity to do that.’” Horford said. “Then, when we won, it was like ‘We’re bringing it down.’”
His wife and kids were in, and right away, Horford knew that he wanted Mazzulla and Dobbins to come along for the ride as well — both to see his hometown, and to partake in his uncle’s basketball academy. There was zero hesitation on Mazzulla’s end.
“Joe, right away, he wanted to be a part of it,” Horford said. “So it was pretty fortunate to have them down there.”
Horford said he was honored that his coaches came and helped him host basketball camps with the kids down there, and that the kids were excited to meet the coaches that led the way to the championship.
“The people really embraced them,” Horford said. “We really had a good time there.”
Mazzulla, meanwhile, was honored to be there: “For him to invite me back to his hometown, and watch the impact that he has on the environment, but also the impact that people have on him, it was just great to see.”
In Boston, the 38-year-old veteran has solidified himself as one of the most beloved figures in sports. The same is true in the Dominican Republic, where the number of Celtics fans has only grown given that Horford has spent 6 of his last 8 seasons in Boston.
“People are really happy. It’s very similar to here — people just really excited, people very appreciative,” Horford said. “Down in the Dominican, us being able to bring down the trophy and then to be able to take pictures with them, see it, and just kind of make its its rounds — it was a very unique experience.”
Horford’s ultimate goal is for the trip back home to inspire.
“At a young age, if you can have any kind of interaction with an NBA player or anything like that, it can be an inspiration,” Horford said. “Them seeing the trophy — the actual trophy.. It’s unique, it’s special, it hasn’t been done there before.”
“We already have a lot of Celtics fans down there, and I just feel like this put us over the top there, for years to come.”
Neemias Queta also spent time in his home country Portugal this summer, where he’s long been considered a legend. Now, with Portuguese fans increasingly following Queta’s career, the Celtics are launching new Portuguese channels this season.
“I got to get so much love from people over there,” Queta said. “Portugal is becoming more interested in basketball, so it’s great timing that we just got this championship.”
Unfortunately for the Portuguese big man, he wasn’t able to bring back the the Larry O’Brien trophy.
“I tried last minute, but it was already somewhere else,” Queta said with a chuckle. “I tried way too late on the timing.”
But, if Queta is lucky, he just might have another chance to bring the trophy to his community in Barreiro.
Because as Jayson Tatum said on media day: “It was never about trying to just win one.”
