Although James Harden is getting some stick for being slow to hit top gear so far this season, the Nets are in a comfortable position atop the Eastern Conference standings. Nonetheless, the NBA gave a day off and Harden spent it helping the community.
On Thanksgiving, James Harden took time out from his schedule and time with family to partner with North Brooklyn Angels at Greenpoint to serve Thanksgiving meals. Before he started with his official duties of the night, he made a video, wishing Nets fans a Happy Thanksgiving and showing what he was up to. The Brooklyn Nets superstar said:
The video was released by the official Nets page, showing James Harden wearing an apron, ready to get to work. In an interview with News 12, he said:
It is a special holiday, but there are several New Yorkers who have nowhere to go. The partnership between James Harden and the North Brooklyn Angels made sure there was a hot meal for anyone who needed it. At the end of the day, 300 people were fed on-site at the Brooklyn Expo Center, while 100 more were delivered to several locations.
Other notable charitable works of James Harden
Giving back has always been a big part of James Harden’s legacy, and he continued the trend after joining the Nets. He was a big contributor to community development back when he was with the Houston Rockets, and he is doing the same in Brooklyn.
About two months after James Harden joined the Nets, he had already started working on helping 25 local minority-owned businesses in Brooklyn. He did so through his Adidas shoe launch. In a chat with ESPN’s Nick DePaula, he said:
Adidas also spoke about it, stating they would rather direct all of its budgeted media funds for the launch to designated local businesses than spend it on flashy billboards in Brooklyn. Their mission was to make a positive impact in difficult times.
Shortly after he left Houston, James Harden continued to help residents of the community. In February, a nasty storm left many with no power and water for days, causing a food shortage within the city.
As big a heart as Harden has, there was no way he could have sat back and watched. Through his new restaurant, Thirteen, he donated over 3,000 meals. Residents had the option of picking it up in person or having it delivered.
While this is James Harden’s latest community work to help the residents of Houston, there are several others worthy of mention. In 2020, The Beard gave out 5,000 groceries to families in need.
His love for basketball also led to him giving $240,000 to help Houston renovate outdoor basketball courts. Harden also pledged $1 million to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
James Harden joined the Nets through a blockbuster trade on January 14, 2021, to form a big three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Injuries derailed their 2021 playoff campaign, but the team is on course for another title run. So far this season, he is averaging 20.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 9.2 assists.
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