NBA superstar James Harden back in China four years on from Hong Kong controversy – ‘I missed you guys’
- Philadelphia 76ers star says ‘after all these years, the love is still real’ as he is mobbed in Shanghai, where he hosted fan event
- Harden was in China with Houston Rockets when general manager caused storm for tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters in 2019
NBA superstar James Harden was mobbed by fans after arriving in China on Thursday, four years on from his last visit, which was mired in controversy.
The 33-year-old Philadelphia 76ers star was given a raucous reception in Shanghai, and shared a short video of himself at the airport with legions of fans screaming his name as they waited for him in the car park.
Afraid of the chaos that was about to ensue, staff were seen turning him around and taking him to another exit.
He went on to host a fan event in the city with broadcaster Sina Sports, where even more supporters turned up to see him – and share a gigantic group selfie with their idol.
“After all these years the love is still real, missed you guys!” Harden wrote in a social media post. “Day 1 in Shanghai was everything.”
The trip marks Harden’s first visit to China since 2019 with the Houston Rockets for the annual NBA China Games, where things turned sour following a tweet from the franchise’s then-general manager Daryl Morey in support of Hong Kong’s anti-government protests that year.