Meek Mill says while he was in prison, Rockets' James Harden called several times a week

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Chris Paul, James Harden reflect on advancing to conference finals Chris Paul and James Harden look back on Paul's career-best playoff performance in Game 5 and how everything has come together this year to get the Rockets to Western Conference finals.

With the Philadelphia 76ers eliminated from the NBA playoffs, Philadelphia-born rapper Meek Mill still has a player to cheer for — Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

The hip-hop artist, who was released from prison on April 24 and has been attending Sixers games since, told Sports Illustrated that Harden called him three to four times a week while he was locked up. Harden also visited him in prison when the Rockets played the 76ers.

"We talking pretty girls, we talking basketball ... we all over the place," Mill said of their hour-long conversations each week.

Upon Meek Mill's release, Harden told reporters that the rapper was "so happy to be out (of prison), to be around his son, just to be out and be a role model like he is."

The rapper has also built a friendship with Sixers owner Michael Rubin and had several high-profile sports figures — namely Patriots owner Robert Kraft — support him in his five-month campaign to be freed on bail for a probation violation. A judge sent him to prison after he popped a wheelie on a bike.

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