Interview: James Harden Talks LeBron’s Decison 2.0, Drake And More

August 15, 2014 - 8:52 pm by Terrence Watson

Let’s be fair: by all accounts and omens, Team USA’s 2014 Men’s basketball team should be screwed.

First Blake Griffin and Kevin Love pass on playing (for injury and, well, basketball reasons respectively), then Paul George suffers one of the most gruesome leg injuries the league has ever seen (on live TV, no less), followed by Kevin Durant’s decision to back out for time off. On the surface, Team USA’s in trouble.

But when Nike Basketball invited VIBE and a few other writers to Chicago for this week’s World Basketball Festival, there was a sort of reassurance. For one, we were reminded that Cleveland's Kyrie Irving and New Orleans forward Anthony Davis are emerging stars who give NBA elders fits (at USA Men’s practice). Derrick Rose is Derrick Rose again, and he’ll be playing with the MVP like motivation to prove that to the world, and the FIBA teams are usually built based on the future anyway. So not having Griffin, George or Durant isn’t exactly the worst thing.

Especially when it means guys like James Harden get to fill a new role as the face of the national team. Seated in a private location of an old money hotel in Chicago, equipped with gold chandeliers, yet draped in team red and blue, Harden’s presence evoked a reassuring optimism. We spoke with the Houston Rockets star about leading Team USA, which rappers he’d want to be a part of the USA basketball family and more after the jump.

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With LeBron taking a break, and KD and Paul George sidelined, things are sort of resting on your shoulders. Are you ready to be the new leader for Team USA? I guess I don’t have a choice. Honestly, there are so many great pieces on this team that can contribute different things and that’s what it’s mainly about. We really play as a team, but I’m looking forward to the challenge of winning gold. Speaking of LeBron, what was your reaction to him heading home and is that something you’d ever consider doing? Please say yes, because I’m a Lakers fan (Ed. Note: Harden is from L.A.) (Laughs) I kinda knew he a few years ago, like in 2012, that he’d head back to Cleveland. How’d you know that? Just in conversations that we had during the Olympics. He went to Miami to win championships and he won two, but he’s back home and we’re all excited for him. Lupe Fiasco was the music director for US Men’s soccer. Give me the five artists you’d want to curate or create music for USA Men’s basketball. I’d have to start with Jay Z and then I’d go with Drake. Meek Mill, Rick Ross (pauses to think). Yeah, go with Lil Wayne too. Anyone one of them would be great. What do you think about Drake’s influence with the Toronto Raptors? He’s definitely putting on for his city. I think it’s good for their organization. When he first came on as an ambassador I didn’t know what that would mean, but he’s really doing a great job. Were you surprised by how much the Raptors organization stood by him after the whole issue with tampering and KD at OVO Fest? (Laughs) No, they were supposed to stick with him. He definitely feels like he’s a part of the league now that he got hit with a fine. In your new commercial with Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley, you guys joke about having a short term memory. What’s been the one NBA moment you’ve had to gorget about quickly. I want to say you have to forget about every game, but for me, the whole playoffs. I struggled a bit but I have to put the previous games behind me. If you can do that, you can be successful in the league.

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