Denzel Valentine and Denzel Washington may share the same first name, but that is no coincidence.
The 6-foot-5 versatile guard shares a special connection to the famous actor, his parents said.
“Denzel is named after Denzel [Washington],” his mother Kathy Valentine said. “And why? Because we knew he’d be handsome.”
Well, that name clearly paid off when Denzel Washington, who is a big basketball fan, called the young player earlier this year.
“We got to talk for a second and it was an honor,” Valentine told NBC Chicago. “I mean he sounded just like the guy in the movies.”
Washington confirmed the phone call in a video posted to TMZ Sports' YouTube page Monday, saying, "I tracked him down cause how many Denzels do you meet?"
It's not clear if Valentine's new sports home means Washington will now become a Bulls fan.
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When asked in the video, the celebrity actor responded with, 'Oh, is that our car there?" He then smiles and walks away.
Washington and Valentine have been confused numerous times during Valentine's basketball career.
The Associated Press accidentally tweeted in March that Denzel Washington was named its College Player of the Year. It later corrected the error in a separate tweet, saying, "Sorry Denzel Washington. We do love you, but Denzel Valentine is actually AP Player of the Year."
