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Vegas Golden Knights: Baseball Star Bryce Harper All-In On Hometown Team

By Richard Cardinale

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper waves to the crowd before dropping the ceremonial puck before a game between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on December 23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights won 3-0. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper waves to the crowd before dropping the ceremonial puck before a game between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on December 23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights won 3-0. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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From baseball’s biggest superstar in Washington to Vegas Golden Knights superfan, Bryce Harper stays true to Las Vegas.

The Vegas Golden Knights had plenty of celebrities come to their games in the regular season. Ranging from rapper Lil Jon to comedians Carrot Top and Daniel Negreanu, Additionally, Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer, WWE superstars Alexa Bliss and Dean Ambrose also made appearances at Golden Knights games.

However, the love that MLB superstar Bryce Harper has shown a ton of support for his hometown club. Harper and his wife went to many Golden Knights games over the baseball offseason. As time went on, his love for the game of hockey and the Golden Knights grew exponentially.

The Washington Nationals outfielder even had his own moment at a Golden Knights game. The Golden Knights had a ceremonial puck drop planned for Harper when the Golden Knights played the Capitals in January at T-Mobile Arena. He came out sporting an Alex Tuch jersey, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. The Las Vegas, Nevada native, came face to face with fellow Washington star Alex Ovechkin and Golden Knights forward James Neal at center ice.

Even when the Nationals hit spring training, Harper was always checking up on the Golden Knights. And then it carried over into the MLB regular season. Sometimes he would be up till 3 AM ET thanks to the adrenaline rush the Golden Knights gave him every night.

“I get more nervous watching them than anything I’ve ever done in my life,’’ Harper tells USA TODAY Sports, “even playing ball. I don’t get nervous watching my team, or when I play at all, I really don’t. “But when I’m watching them, I get so nervous. I’ll sit on the couch with my wife, going nuts. “It’s unreal.’’

One day he even wants his kids to play hockey. “When we have kids, I want them to play hockey. How awesome would that be? I can’t imagine being on the ice and playing such a cool sport.’’

That statement right there speaks volumes from someone who has, ate, slept and breathed baseball all of his life. Harper didn’t have anybody who he avidly watched at home when he was a kid since Nevada didn’t have a professional sports team. So having the Golden Knights back home is a huge advantage for his kids if they decide they want to play hockey.

"“But now, I can’t get enough of them. I watch them religiously. I love hockey.’’- Bryce Harper"

He was also asked if the Raiders would generate the same type of interest. But he didn’t sound so as keen about the Raiders coming to Las Vegas.

“I don’t know,’’ Harper said. “Will they be the fans of the sport or fans of fantasy football? What really made this work was that it was an expansion team. It was our team. It wasn’t like someone just bought a team, and said, ‘OK, here’s your team, go support it.’ You want something that’s Vegas-born and the locals can grow with it.’’

Furthermore, he even talked about the potential of having an MLB team in Las Vegas one day. But as he said about the Raiders, it would have to be an expansion draft for it to work.

“Still, it would be tough in Las Vegas because we have a lot of Dodgers fans. A lot of Diamondbacks fans. Yankees fans. Chicago Cubs fans. “I think having an expansion draft, and having a team grow up in Vegas, would definitely work. We’ll see, but for now, I just want all of the spotlight on the Knights.’’

You can read the full article about Harper’s love for the Golden Knights here.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights: George McPhee Named GM Of The Year Finalist

All in all, it’s fantastic to see an active sports player like Bryce Harper devoted to watching hockey and the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s a fan that’s just soaking in all this knowledge for the first time just like us. And with the Nationals already postponed tonight, there’s no doubt that Harper will be watching his Golden Knights play the Winnipeg Jets in game four that’s just minutes away.

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