James Harden, Hanging Out On A High School Sports Field, Says Relationship With Sixers Is Beyond Repair

I'll say this for James Harden's ongoing quest to force his way off the Philadelphia 76ers: It has been as visually entertaining as these things can be. The sight of Harden stiffly delivering his proclamation about Daryl Morey being a liar—twice, for effect—in front of a bunch of bewildered Chinese teenagers, and then sheepishly grinning and doing the shaka hands, was funny. Also funny: Harden being tracked to a high school football field by a Houston local news anchor and forced to answer questions about his status with the Sixers.

The composition of the scene is what really does it for me. If you were to watch this clip on mute, without knowing who James Harden is, you might assume he was the target of an I-Team investigation about toxic pesticides being used on local football fields. Or maybe the varsity soccer coach giving all the fans at home an outlook on the Lady Lions' upcoming season.

The actual explanation for how Harden was tracked down by this go-getter of a local news reporter is almost as funny as any imagined ones: Harden is in Houston to host his big charity weekend, and prior to the interview was, as KHOU put it, "practicing softball at Yates High School." (The charity weekend includes a celebrity softball game.)

As for the interview itself, Harden didn't say anything all that surprising. He said he's being patient and staying in shape—as was already obvious by his participation in softball practice—and was blunt when asked if he thought it was too late to repair his relationship with the Sixers. "Uhh, I think so," he said.

I can't wait for the next update from Harden, which I'm sure will come from Peoria, Illinois, outside of the Jiffy Lube where he's waiting to get his oil changed.