Hill Harper ('CSI: NY,' 'Covert Affairs') to be honored by the Hawks Feb. 8

"Financial literacy is not taught in school," he said in a phone interview Friday. "I've always been passionate about teaching kids how to build a solid financial foundation to build a life you want, to get them to understand the time value of money."

Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll will be there as well. The one-hour seminar will feature music, games and Hawks entertainers such as the dunk team and the t-shirt shooters. Harper may even compete against Carroll in a free-throw competition. He cited his role in the film "He Got Game" as proof he can play with the big boys - more or less. "I got game," he said. "At least I think so!"

He is currently on hiatus after his first season on "Covert Affairs," playing an ambitious CIA agent Calder Michaels who clashes with Auggie and Annie.  "People don't know if he's a good guy or bad guy," he said. "I love that. I don't know either. The jury is out. He's probably a little bit of both."

After nine years on "CSI: NY," he hadn't intentionally sought out another TV show so quickly but he liked the fact the character was so different from his CSI investigator character. He also gets to travel the world. "Covert Affairs" shoots many of its scenes all over the world, including Hong Kong, Vienna and Columbia.

"Covert Affairs" returns this summer on USA.

Harper is also doing speeches at universities during Black History Month and promoting his fifth book "Letters to an Incarcerated Brother." He gets a lot of positive feedback from prisoners and their families. "I couldn't be more proud of the book," said Harper, a Harvard Law graduate.