Exclusive: James Harden to Wear 'Free Meek Mill' Sneakers on Thursday

James Harden, a good friend of Meek Mill, will wear sneakers on Thursday to show support for his friend.

James Harden's longtime friendship with rapper Meek Mill is well-documented. The two have been on stage together at shows, basketball games and charity events throughout the years. 

Recently, with Meek Mill serving a two–four year jail sentence, it'd been hard for Harden to visit or speak to his old friend. That changed on Dec. 26, when Harden found time to take a trip to Chester, Pa., and see Meek Mill in prison.

Exclusive: Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid Show Support of Meek Mill at Jay-Z Concert

For Harden, the purpose of the visit was to keep Meek Mill's spirits up during the holiday season, and he'll make another gesture when his Rockets steps on the court against the Celtics in Boston. A premier pitchman for Adidas, Harden will wear shoes with "Free Meek" covering the entire sneaker in big, yellow letters, according to a source close to Meek Mill. The Crossover obtained a photo of the shoes—which were designed by Los Angeles native Salvador Amezcua—that will garner plenty of attention, as all eyes are usually on Harden, an MVP candidate who leads the NBA in scoring. 

Harden is the latest in a long line of members of the NBA family to support Meek Mill. Sixers co-owner Michael Rubin, who is leading the charge, has been the most vocal on this subject, trying to save Meek Mill from prison, challenging the judge on the case and saying that he "lost faith in the system" after the verdict that sent his friend to prison. Other Sixers players, including Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, have also showed support by sporting "Free Meek Mill" hoodies at Jay-Z's 4:44 concert.