Belize native Douglas Langford commits to Harvard, creating excitement in Caribbean country

There’s a new celebrity basketball player in the country of Belize. Douglas Langford Jr., a 6-foot-7 senior who came to the United States as a 14-year-old and enrolled at St. Pius X-St. Matthias in Downey, announced earlier this week he had accepted the admission process for attending Harvard next year.

Suddenly, media across Belize reported the news and asked for interviews. As one person wrote in a Facebook post, “Langford Jr.’s commitment to Harvard is a monumental moment for Belizean sports, showcasing the country’s growing presence on the international basketball stage.”

Langford’s father, Douglas Sr., owns a professional basketball team in Belize. The country’s most famous player is probably former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High and UCLA guard Nigel Miguel, who has been a film commissioner and promoter of tourism to the small Caribbean country.

Langford stayed with a host family for three years in Southern California until moving in with an aunt for his senior year. He visited Harvard with his parents and fell in love.

“I went to Boston and didn’t want to leave,” he said. “It felt like home. It was truly amazing.”

He averaged 15.1 points and 11.5 rebounds last season for a team that made the Open Division playoffs. He also gets all A’s on his report card. He played last summer for the Belize U18 national team.

Now he must figure out what he’ll be doing next year when it gets a little cool on the East Coast. Talk about culture shock.

“Belize has sunshine, sandy beaches, warm weather. The perfect Caribbean country,” he said.

He was told to buy a warm jacket, get mittens and thermal underwear.

He’s ready to do it and make his countrymen proud.

“The country has supported me because I’m a homegrown athlete that did the impossible,” he said.

He credits his high school coach, Donte Archie, for helping him develop as a basketball player.