Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden showed his support for his alma mater, Arizona State, by making a significant donation to its NIL program in April 2024. The specific amount remains undisclosed.
The point guard shared his thoughts on contributing a portion of his NBA earnings to his former school in an interview with Front Office Sports on Wednesday.
“NIL nowadays is the most important thing because kids want to be compensated for their play and their work … which makes sense,” he said.
“I wanted to be a part of helping the team and the school get players because we are a very, very great program and a great school and if NIL is the problem, then I can help with that.”
Coach Bobby Hurley has highlighted the impact of Harden’s support on his basketball program, mentioning that the former NBA MVP has not only contributed financially to the school but has also made a difference by actively engaging with the program. Hurley emphasized that the NBA star regularly meets with the new rosters each year, sharing his elite basketball knowledge with them.
“It’s not only the financial aspect, James has been giving his time,” he said. “And his willingness to be around the players, he can be in his off-season on an island somewhere or just working on his game in LA – he carves out time every year to come back and see the new team, be around the guys and share his experiences with them.”
“It’s more than just financial support; it’s an investment in helping young men, and he serves as a role model to our guys.”
James Harden’s contribution helped Arizona State recruit Jayden Quaintance
Jayden Quaintance, a highly talented forward in the 2024 recruiting class, initially committed to the Kentucky Wildcats. However, when John Calipari unexpectedly accepted the head coaching position at Arkansas, the 6-foot-9 forward retracted his commitment.
At that time, Quaintance was being pursued by teams like Ohio State, Missouri, Louisville, and Memphis. However, just 20 days after Calipari’s departure, Arizona State secured the coveted recruit – partly thanks to Harden’s contributions.
Quaintance is averaging 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He leads the team in rebounds and blocks while shooting 52.5%.
Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro
