US professional basketball player Michael Porter Jr arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday morning for a four-day visit, during which he is to take part in a baseball event.
Porter, who plays for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, landed at about 5am with his family and friends, and was met enthusiastically by nearly 100 fans holding welcome signs and shouting “Welcome to Taiwan.”
Porter chatted with the fans, signed their baseballs and basketballs, and took pictures with them.
Photo: CNA
The 25-year-old NBA star is to throw the ceremonial first pitch in a baseball game at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on Saturday.
Every spectator can bring a pet dog or cat to the games on Saturday and Sunday that are being sponsored by the CTBC Brothers.
Porter told reporters that his flight was great and that he was excited to meet fans and younger basketball players in Taiwan.
He said that he is looking forward to getting a sense of what Taiwan is about by trying the food and visiting some beaches.
Porter was selected 14th overall by the Nuggets in the 2018 NBA draft and won his first NBA championship with them this year.
At the airport, a fan surnamed Wu said he had arrived at the airport at 4am with his friends, adding that it was the first time he had seen an NBA star at the airport, and he hoped to get his autograph and a photograph with him.
Another person said he has been a fan of Porter for a while and was happy that the Nuggets had become NBA champions this year.
He said he left for the airport at 3:30am from New Taipei City, and would do his best to be at the events Porter would be attending over the next few days.
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