Basketball player Djery Baptiste was born 31 years ago in Gonaïves.

Djery Baptiste, a basketball player trained in the American university system, was born in Gonaïves 31 years ago, on November 12, 1995.

From Gonaïves to Texas

The son of Hebert Jean Baptiste and Wislonde Destin, he left for the United States at age 15 without speaking English. He taught himself the language by listening to George Strait songs. At Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, he won two consecutive state championship titles and was named his team's best defender.

Vanderbilt and UMass

He chose Vanderbilt University for his studies and played for the Vanderbilt Commodores. In June 2018, he left the team to focus on his coursework. After graduating in December 2018, he then joined the UMass Minutemen.

In Indonesia

He later played for Rajawali Medan in the Indonesian Basketball League. He speaks French, Creole, and Spanish fluently.