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Bryce Harper gives newest Philadelphia sports star his stamp of approval

ByGabrielle Starr|
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 04: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies rings the bell prior to the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 4, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks defeated the 76ers 128-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 04: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies rings the bell prior to the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 4, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks defeated the 76ers 128-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Phillies star Bryce Harper welcomes James Harden to Philadelphia with Instagram Story

The Philadelphia Phillies may not be back any time soon, thanks to the MLB lockout, so Bryce Harper is bicycling around Florida and watching basketball games.

This weekend, James Harden made his highly-anticipated Philadelphia 76ers debut after the dramatic Ben Simmons trade. Apparently, Harper tuned in, as he shared a Sixers post to his Instagram Stories and added some praise of his own.

Harden’s Philadelphia debut came in a blowout victory over the former Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The newest Sixer contributed 27 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds to the 133-102 score.

Harper has become a huge fan of his adopted city’s other sports teams. The month after he signed his historic contract with the Phillies in 2019, he rang the bell at a 76ers game and hung out with new teammate Rhys Hoskins and then-Eagles QB Carson Wentz.

Earlier this year, he skated with the Philadelphia Flyers when they came to his hometown of Las Vegas for a Golden Knights matchup.

He also wanted to recreate this iconic Philadelphia sports photo with his fellow stars of today’s era:

While it’s wonderful that Harper has taken to his chosen city this much, it would be even better if he could represent it by playing some sports of his own. Unless the league and union can come to an agreement by the former’s set deadline of February 28 (Monday), the lockout will hit the three-month mark later this week. If an agreement is not reached by Monday, MLB announced that the regular season will be delayed, and missed games will not be made up later in the year.

MLB could unlock the players any time and continue negotiating the terms of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement as Spring Training progresses, but they won’t do that, because it would cede power to the union and the players. Instead, they continue their chokehold, crushing the life out of baseball with an iron fist.

And instead of preparing for another MVP season, Harper is at home, watching basketball.

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