The stars still come out to see the Boston Celtics even when they are halfway across the world.
The Celtics are in Abu Dhabi for two exhibition games against the Denver Nuggets -- Boston took the first matchup Friday -- and the reigning NBA champions held a fan appreciation day Saturday at Etihad Arena.
Several former professional sports stars were in attendance for the event, including a few who made their name on the soccer pitch. Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and former France standout Thierry Henry made the trek and all wore Celtics gear while kicking a soccer ball around on the court.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had to be in his element since he's an avid soccer fan and has a relationship with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
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Even former Celtics standout Kevin Garnett was there for the festivities and had a conversation with Mazzulla. Given the intensity the two exhibit, knowing the topic of that conversation would have been very interesting.
You can check out the Celtics, including Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, interacting with their fellow stars here:
The Celtics certainly are gaining new fans in the Middle East from this trip. Brown even ingratiated himself to those who came to watch Boston and Denver on Friday when he addressed the crowd in Arabic prior to tip-off.
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"Especially being here in the summertime, I picked up a lot of different words," Brown told reporters, per Boston.com. "Just wanted to connect and resonate with the crowd a little bit."
The Celtics and Nuggets close out their time in Abu Dhabi with a second preseason tilt Sunday. Tip is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET.
Featured image via David Butler II/Imagn Images
