James Harden says he was not at a strip club this week when a video surfaced that appeared to show him partying without a mask on. However, the Houston Rockets star may still be ineligible to play in Wednesday night’s season opener.
A video that was obtained by Black Sports Online this week claimed to show Harden partying without a mask on at a strip club on Monday night. Harden issued a response on his Instagram story on Wednesday. He said he was not at a strip club but attended an event “to show love to my homegirl” who was recently promoted.
James Harden says he wasn’t at a strip club this week, but he admits he attended a party without a mask on pic.twitter.com/GlbtdSaN5F
— Steve DelVecchio (@SteveDelSports) December 23, 2020
“Everyday it’s something different,” Harden wrote. “No matter how many times people try to drag my name under you can’t. The real always end on top.”
Harden was obviously unhappy with the assertion that he was partying at a strip club, but that may not matter to the NBA. The Rockets have been working with the NBA to determine if Harden violated COVID-19 protocol. As ESPN’s Tim MacMahon notes, NBA protocols prohibit players from going to bars, lounges, clubs or social events with more than 15 people.
Harden arrived late to training camp with the Rockets earlier this month, and several photos and videos on social media showed that he was attending a rapper’s birthday partying and hitting nightclubs before he got to Houston. Harden then cleared COVID-19 protocol by testing negative several times.
The Rockets are still exploring trade options for Harden. While he is under contract for two more seasons and the team does not have to rush, it sounds like things are getting a bit tense between Harden and his teammates. The latest drama almost certainly will not help the situation.
Photo: All-Pro Reels/Flickr via cc by-sa 2.0
