Even before the Oklahoma City Thunder shocked its fans by trading James Harden to the Houston Rockets, the sensational young 6th man had proven that he was ready to step up his off-the-court game as one of the NBA’s premiere ballers. After he helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Harden invited his closest NBA friends and some of the most notorious female groupies on board a yacht for his 23rd birthday party. I’m pretty sure that for my 23rd birthday party, I passed out in an Applebee’s bathroom, so good for him.
But even as Thunder fans burned the Bearded One’s shirseys in the streets after he turned down the team’s questionable offer, Harden is apparently adapting to life in Houston just fine. According to a random picture that has been quietly making the rounds, a young woman named Jasmine Taylor claims that she had a “Lonngg but great night” and that it was great because Harden threw some stacks at her.
That could mean that Miss Taylor is an exotic dancer in the Houston area and Harden was rather generous with his singles, to the tune of what looks like $800, if that is indeed all ones. Or maybe she was his server at TGI Fridays and she was just very courteous and prompt with his potato skins. Either way, at least he’s investing in the local economy.
Speaking of Harden, Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski has an excellent interview up with the new Rockets star, who is averaging 35 ppg through his first three games, and Harden opened his heart about the news that he was suddenly traded.
“After everything we established – everything we had done – you give me an hour?” Harden told Yahoo! Sports on Monday afternoon. “This was one of the biggest decisions of my life. I wanted to go home and pray about it. It hurt me. It hurt.”
I hope he saved some singles to wipe the tears from his eyes.
