Harden responds amid reported investigation into club footage
Warning: Video contains graphic content
The Houston Rockets and the NBA league office are examining footage that appears to show James Harden breaking the league's health protocols by attending a club event Monday evening while maskless, a source told ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
BlackSportsOnline uploaded the video Tuesday. It features a clip in which a celebratory Harden receives a Christmas gift from a friend, followed by several shots of maskless patrons assembled in a nightclub.
Harden issued a statement after news of the investigation into the clip circulated. The Athletic's Alykhan Bijani shared it through a screenshot:
One thing after another. I went to show love to my homegirl at her event (not a strip club) because she is becoming a boss and putting her people in position of success and now it's a problem
Everyday its something different.
No matter how many times people try to draft my name under you can't.
The real always end on top.
Harden, who reportedly desires a trade away from Houston, has already tested the Rockets' patience with his late-night activities. The 2018 MVP also held out when training camps commenced earlier this month.
Instead, the 31-year-old was spotted at an Atlanta club on Dec. 3, and then at a Las Vegas restaurant several days later.
When Harden did finally report, the league required him to produce six consecutive negative COVID-19 tests, according to MacMahon.
The league's rules during the pandemic-altered season stipulate that players and staff are prohibited from attending a number of businesses and events, including bars, clubs, and live entertainment, according to NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. Players who violate those protocols can be docked game paychecks based on the amount of time spent in quarantine to be able to rejoin their team.
If a player tests positive for COVID-19 this season, they need to meet a handful of time- and test-based benchmarks to rejoin their club. Both avenues for a return would result in missed contests during the condensed 72-game campaign.
Harden and the Rockets were scheduled to welcome the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Toyota Center on Wednesday evening before the matchup was postponed.
Harden was ruled ineligible after breaching the league's health and safety protocols, while four other Rockets were quarantined after coming into contact with rookie KJ Martin Jr., who tested positive. Houston failed to meet the NBA's eight-player minimum, prompting the postponement.