In Photos: 2023 NBA Celebrity All-Star game participant Francis Tiafoe rocks Immanuel Quickley and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's jerseys during US Open
Francis Tiafoe doesn't miss the opportunity to show the world that he is an avid basketball fan and fan of the NBA in particular.
During his participation in the U.S. Open in New York, Tiafoe practiced while wearing the jerseys of Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley.
Tiafoe has been a fan of KCP ever since he attended the 2022 U.S. Open to watch Tiafoe's quarterfinal against Andrey Rublev, the No. 9 seed in the world, and the semifinal against young star Carlos Alcaraz, which the No.10 in the world lost.
"I was a kid who had an opportunity and dreamed massively big," Tiafoe said about NBA stars attending his ATP matches. "Shouldn’t be doing any of these things, honestly. (I was) sneaking into this event, telling my parents I was going to be a pro at a super young age, against all odds, wearing hand-me-down clothes, holes in my shoes, cargo shorts.
"Guys like KD (Kevin Durant) and (Kentavious) Caldwell-Pope and Gaff (Daniel Gafford) want to come see me play."
KCP and Francis Tiafoe have stayed in touch ever since, and the tennis player sent him a message after he won the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets.
When Francis Tiafoe participated in the NBA All-Star Weekend
Francis Tiafoe regularly attends NBA games. His accomplishments on the tennis court have made him famous, and he had the opportunity to participate in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game festivities in Salt Lake City in February.
Tiafoe was a member of Team Dwyane Wade and scored four points in the contest. It was a dream come true for the 25-year-old tennis player, who shared his excitement pregame.
"I think (I will) just go out there and have fun," he told the NBA's Instagram account. "I mean, I don’t want to look dumb. That’s why I’ve been training the past couple weeks. But (it is about) just having fun and obviously All-Star (Weekend) everyone is there. You meet so many cool people and people that I’ve been fans of forever."
Tiafoe was aware of the league's intention to offer him a spot in the Celebrity Game ever since he spoke with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum in Japan, where the Golden State Warriors played the Washington Wizards in a 2022-23 preseason game.
"I still didn’t really know until I got that email, but once I got that email that ‘You’re going to All-Star.’ I was like, 'This is crazy!'" Tiafoe told ATPTour.com when he got his invitation. "I feel like it’s a big crossover.
"A lot of people have taken interest in me, a lot of people are following the game of tennis who usually wouldn’t because, A, the personality I bring out there on court and how I am, and being a person of color. It’s touching a lot of people, and I’m just happy."
The young star tennis player will likely attend more NBA games and have the opportunity to get in touch with the league's superstars and his good friend Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.