Houston Rockets superstar James Harden was a late arrival at Rockets training camp, and finally got on the court this week after passing the COVID-19 protocol, making his preseason debut on Tuesday night.
Harden, who has requested a trade away from the team, declined to speak with the media after the game, but spoke to reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. When asked about a trade, Harden said that he was “just focused on being here,” in Houston, and claimed that his preseason trips to Atlanta and Las Vegas while the rest of his teammates were in camp were for training purposes.
Harden appeared in viral clips recorded at a nightclub last week, but when asked about his trips, he said he was just preparing for the upcoming NBA season.
James Harden says he was training for the season in Atlanta and Vegas with his personal trainers pic.twitter.com/Z81z3DtR3B
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 16, 2020
“James, what was the point that you were trying to get across when you went to Atlanta and Vegas when training camp was starting?”
Harden: “I was just training.”
“What were you training for?“
Harden: “Uh, the start of the NBA season.”
“How did going to Atlanta and Vegas help you there when the Rockets were starting training camp in Houston?“
Harden: “Just my personal trainers.”
[vertical-gallery id=41882]