When 76ers star James Harden saw the news that John Howe — a 20-year-old Michigan State freshman and huge fan of the future Hall of Fame guard — had been paralyzed from the chest down in a tragic shooting on campus earlier this month, Harden knew that He has to do something.
“There are things like that, where you can sit and think about real life and things that are bigger than basketball,” Harden said after Philadelphia’s 110-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night. All-star break. “I heard he likes me, so I wanted to get up as soon as possible and see what I could do, anything I could do.”
Harden said members of his team heard of Howe’s condition, so two of them went to visit Howe at Sparrow Hospital, where he remained after the shooting. Harden sent Hao sneakers, including a pair of toys, that were donated to a GoFundMe and called him up on FaceTime to offer him some encouraging words.
“I love when you smile,” Harden said on the call, which was shown on video on “NBA Today” Thursday. I love when you smile, okay? I’m with you. I know it’s hard right now, but you have to stay strong physically, you know what I mean? You just have to think positive things and keep pushing and fighting. I’ve got you. I’ve got some guys for you too I’ve got some things coming your way, hopefully I can give you some encouragement and make you smile a little bit, you know what I mean? Let me know if you need anything else.”
A GoFundMe was started by Hao’s companion, the Argentine Qian, to help pay for Hao’s medical expenses in the aftermath of the shooting, which the page said left Hao paralyzed after being shot in the back.
“John is a beloved member of our Spartan community, a leader in a student organization, and a sports enthusiast,” wrote Qian, who added that Harden is Hao’s favorite player.
Three students were killed and five others — including Howe — were wounded in the Feb. 13 shooting on Michigan State’s campus.
“The more I can encourage and let go of this energy that I have and give him hope, the more I feel like that’s what I’m here for,” Harden said. “And that’s what I have this platform for. I hope he can recover and get back on track as soon as possible, but I gave him my number, so whenever he feels like he needs anything, he can call me and I’ll check on him.”
Harden had a stellar game Thursday against the Grizzlies, finishing with 31 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists to help the 76ers come back from 17 points. He passed 76ers legend Allen Iverson for 31st on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in the process.
When asked about passing Iverson after the game, Harden even admitted the idea of making the NBA as a kid was nothing more than a “pipe dream.” However, he said that having the ability to help someone in the position of Howe is something that means much more to him.
“It’s bigger than basketball,” Harden said. “This is real life, you know what I mean? This is bigger than basketball. I’m lucky to be in a position where I can impact people’s lives. That’s what I really care about. It’s what I value, and it’s what makes me happy. Other than basketball, family , and things like that. It’s such a tragedy. He didn’t expect it. There was nothing he could control. That’s the craziest part about it. Anything I can do, I’m going to do it.”
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