Harper joins NBA legends here

Five-time NBA champion Ron Harper joins a growing list of basketball legends coming to Manila to drum up the first NBA preseason game in Southeast Asia here on Oct. 10 at Mall of Asia Arena.

Harper will arrive tomorrow ahead of fellow NBA Legends Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry and Jalen Rose, who will all serve as Global Games ambassadors to the historic match featuring the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers.

A first-time Manila visitor, Harper will lead the NBA Cares activity at Boys Town in Marikina City on Sunday before meeting with Filipino fans in the NBA Fan Fiesta starting at 5 p.m. at the activity center of SM Megamall.

The Rockets, bannered by superstar center Dwight Howard, James Harden and Taiwanese-American Jeremy Lin, will arrive on Monday along with the Pacers led by All-Star players Paul George and Roy Hibbert.

Harper, one of few players in NBA history to win multiple titles with two teams, saw action in the Chicago Bulls’ title runs from 1996 to 1998 and in the LA Lakers’ back-to-back romp in 2000 and 2001.

Horry, who also bagged crowns with the Rockets, Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, will be a second-time Manila visitor.