“I’m Overjoyed” Shares D’Moi Hodge’s Mother Cleopatria King-Defreitas

Cleopatria King-Defreitas on Wednesday travelled from her home in the quiet British Virgin Islands to New York City in the United States to see her son D’Moi Hodge sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I honestly don’t know how to feel,” she told jahphixtelevision.com during an exclusive interview early Friday morning.

“I’m overjoyed for him that I know, because he has worked hard to get to this point,” she added.

Hodge created history as the first British Virgin Islander to sign with a NBA franchise. He was undrafted, but at the end of the night, he signed a two-way contract with 17-time NBA championship team Los Angeles Lakers.

In the audience at the NBA Draft in the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn was his support system — more than thirty family members.

“If you know our family, you will know that we are his biggest supporters. His number one fans collectively,” King-Defreitas explained.

No athlete makes it on their own. The ups and downs on the journey to accomplishing a dream are shared by relatives.

In Hodge’s case, his mother stands at the centre of that network of unconditional love.

“They came out and they supported,” a pleased King-Defreitas said.

Now in his 20s, the guard’s NBA dream is still alive. 

“He knew what he wanted for himself,” his mother highlighted.

At 6′ 4″, NBA pundits described Hodge as a “standout defender with great hands, good instincts and a knack for getting steals.”