‘He threw a basketball at her’: James Harden’s mother recalls how Rockets star couldn’t flirt with a girl in school

James Harden’s mother recounts a tale of how shy and unable to flirt he was in high school. Harden had basketball on his mind foremost.

The 2017-18 NBA MVP hails from one of the poorest suburbs of LA – Compton. The area has been home to innumerable famous personalities as well as sports stars, including the Williams sisters.

A flamboyant personality on and off the court today, Harden has developed a penchant for bucking fashion trends. But he wasn’t always this bold or comfortable around the fairer sex, as his mother laughingly recalls.

The time when James Harden threw a basketball at a girl trying to flirt with him

In high school, James was a sporting phenom and had much fanfare among his classmates and his ilk. As a prominent ball player, he was tipped to make the NBA even in those days.

His mother recounts a tale from when he was in his junior year of high school – hearsay from him apparently.

“He got in trouble one time in junior high, he threw a basketball at a girl..he wasn’t into dating, just wanted to play basketball. I think she was trying to flirt with him, so he threw the basketball at her. Sorry?”

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“He got in trouble one time in junior high, he threw a basketball at a girl…he wasn’t into dating, just wanted to play basketball. I think she was trying to flirt with him, so he threw the basketball at her.”

– Monja Willis, James Harden’s mother pic.twitter.com/aZ4VeOc9uE

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 25, 2020

Later on in his professional career, Harden eased out around women. He’s even got a reputation as a great patron of strip clubs, with one particular establishment in H-Town having his jersey raised to its rafters.

Harden has also been involved with the glamorous Khloe Kardashian for a little while before breaking up.

Growing out of his awkward teenage phase was but a natural occurrence for the global superstar, who’s now recognized by his distinctive beard.