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76ers' Tobias Harris Shows Support for Karl Anthony-Towns

Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward Tobias Harris tweeted out in support of Karl Anthony-Towns and his family.
Justin Grasso|
76ers' Tobias Harris Shows Support for Karl Anthony-Towns
76ers' Tobias Harris Shows Support for Karl Anthony-Towns

A month ago, the COVID-19 pandemic reached the NBA world as Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus. Since then, multiple players around the NBA have been affected by the illness. To some, they didn't need to test positive for it in order to feel the direct effects of the harm that COVID-19 can cause.

Last month, Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony-Towns opened up about his family's current situation. Although Towns wasn't one of the handfuls of NBA players to test positive for COVID-19, he did reveal that both of his parents were experiencing symptoms back in March.

Towns' father eventually overcame the coronavirus, but his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, continued to struggle throughout her bout with it. Unfortunately, Cruz's fight with COVID-19 took a turn for the worst. On Monday, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced in a statement that Jacqueline Cruz has passed away. 

A Statement from the Timberwolves

"Jackie, as she was affectionately known among family and friends, had been battling the virus for more than a month when she succumbed on April 13. Jackie was many things to many people -- a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. The matriarch of the Towns family, she was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person, who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable and her energy will never be replaced."

Following the news of Towns' mother's passing, a number of NBA players took to Twitter to show love and support for the T'Wolves' big man. Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward Tobias Harris happened to be one of them. "Wow," Harris tweeted immediately after Minnesota's announcement. "Praying for you and the family right now." 

Harris wasn't the only Sixers player to reach out to Karl Anthony-Towns lately. Last month, after he updated his followers on his mother's status, Towns received support from both Al Horford and Joel Embiid via Twitter. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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