NBA star James Harden to donate $1M to aid in Harvey relief
NBA star James Harden says he will donate $1 million to the city of Houston to aid in Harvey recovery.
The Houston Rockets point guard made the announcement Saturday with Mayor Sylvester Turner. They spoke at a news conference at the NRG Center, which has housed evacuees since Harvey swamped the Houston area more than a week ago.
Harden went to high school in California and college in Arizona but said Houston is his home. He posed for photos with fans and said the money would go people who need it.
Some people criticized the star for not immediately helping those affected by the disaster. In July he signed a six-year deal with $228 million guaranteed.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander informed Houston mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday that he will increase his contribution to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to $10 million, dramatically upping his donation just a day after the Rockets owner announced a donation of $4 million.
And Jim Crane and the Astros ownership group and the Astros Foundation will donate $4 million to relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the team announced Monday night.
President Donald Trump also pledged a $1 million donation for Harvey relief, but it's unclear who will get the money. The donation is expected to come from his personal fortune.
Trump also visited evacuees Saturday in Houston.
The Houston Chronicle contributed to this report.