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76ers' Tobias Harris Protested in Philly This Past Weekend

Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward Tobias Harris joined protests in Philly this past weekend after the death of George Floyd.

Justin Grasso

Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward Tobias Harris wasn't going to sit around not doing anything this weekend. Although the NBA veteran has spent a lot of his time quarantined at home during the league's hiatus, Harris felt he couldn't remain in the house considering the events that have taken place this past week.

George Floyd, a victim of police brutality, passed away last week. Floyd's death was a result of Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin using unnecessary force while arresting the man after he allegedly used a counterfeit bill at a store.

As the entire arrest was caught on video, the scene went viral and expectedly caused an uproar in Minnesota, which eventually led to nation-wide protests. The city of Philadelphia joined in on the action this past weekend, as residents organized protests on Saturday -- and Tobias Harris got involved.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Harris was out in Philly protesting with the community this past weekend. Ever since the 76ers forward arrived in the city midway through last season, he's been quite active in community activities. And once Harris signed a multi-year contract with the Sixers last summer, he has made many contributions to the city, truly making Philly his home.

In addition to joining residents in protest on Saturday, Harris has recently donated 250 meals to Temple University Hospital workers, 20,000 children's books for at-home libraries, and helped support 12 families with mortgage crisis all during the pandemic. 

Also, back in the fall, Harris donated $1 million to be spread out to nine different charities in Philly. He hasn't been in Philly long, but the Sixers' star has made quite the impact off the floor this year in Philadelphia -- and Harris keeps it going as he continues to put his money and influence to good use during a tough time in America.

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

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  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 Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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