Residents will soon have the opportunity to celebrate the remarkable achievements of rising basketball star D’Moi Hodge, who is set to return to his homeland on Saturday, July 22.
An organising committee has put together a slate of events to welcome home D’Moi in grand style following his recent milestone of becoming the first BVIslander to make an NBA team.
Hodge signed a two-way contract with prominent NBA franchise the Los Angeles Lakers after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The series of events is entitled “D’Moi’s Dream: The Journey – Welcome Home Celebrations”, and is aimed at bringing the community together to celebrate, inspire, and uplift aspiring athletes.
“The VI and particularly his hometown are excited to welcome D’Moi home and celebrate with him this monumental achievement. We are proud of D’Moi and we are planning celebrations fitting for our National Hero”, one organiser stated.
Following his arrival in the territory on Saturday, the motorcade is expected to commence from the area of the Old Althea Scatliffe Primary School through Road Town and heading west of Tortola.
The motorcade will culminate in D’Moi’s hometown of Cane Garden Bay at the Ivan Dawson Primary School’s Basketball court, where a special ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. to pay tribute to D’Moi’s extraordinary journey.
During D’Moi’s brief stay in the territory, he will head a 2-day basketball camp for youth on Tortola and Virgin Gorda respectively for aspiring athletes. There, attendees will have the opportunity to witness the rigors of D’Moi’s training routine and engage with him and his trainer, Tyshawn Patterson.
“I just want to give back to the community that groomed me into the man I am today. I am excited to be coming home,” D’Moi said in a brief statement.
An All-Star Game Night event is also planned with activities such as skills challenge, 3-point shoot-out and a basketball game.