James Harden, have you seen him? The likely answer is ‘yes.’ These days, you don’t have to be an everyday reader of Nice Kicks or a subscriber to SLAM to see the $200 Million adidas signee/NBA MVP candidate in your newsfeed as The Beard’s buzz has crossed over to any and every outlet imaginable.
Trailed by TMZ, jostled by Just Jared, the Houston hot shot with All-NBA numbers is scorching the net in more ways than one, finding his name in the stat sheet and celebrity blog URLs alike.
But what’s he like IRL? Cool, calm, collected and funny, we caught up with James at Foot Locker’s #PlayMyTweet event to discuss his budding friendship with Kanye West, pre-game fashion sense and what kicks to expect on court this season.
Nice Kicks: You had a chance to see the all-white adidas Yeezy Boost 350s debuted at your birthday by Kanye himself. What’d you think of those in person?
James Harden: Dope, man! All the Yeezys are dope. They’re really comfortable, they’re light and they’re just fashionable. Everything Kanye produces is very fashionable. It’s exciting.
Nice Kicks: Have you picked up much fashion wise hanging around Kanye more?
James Harden: Yeah. He has a different mind, he doesn’t think like the norm. Anytime you get to be around him and gain some knowledge from him it’s always a plus. I’ve been around him a couple of times and a lot more in the future.
Kanye West in the all-white adidas Yeezy Boost 350 at James Harden’s Birthday (photo via E!)
Nice Kicks: Of the Yeezy Boosts so far, which pairs are your favorite?
James Harden: The black [350s]. They just bring that pop out and you can rock them with anything. All the Yeezys you can rock with anything, but the black ones are just so dope. I’m excited for the white ones to come out, too. They’re it right now.
Nice Kicks: You’re well known for your pre-game outfits. Do you plan ahead on those or go off feeling?
James Harden: For me it’s more the spirit of the moment. I don’t like to plan too far ahead, but for the first regular season game of the season I put out my outift on the bed like I’m going to school. But I just like to go with the spirit of the moment depending on how I’m feeling that day, the weather and things like that.
Nice Kicks: Looking back, do any particular outfits stand out to you as your favorites or best?
James Harden: Last year I had a lot really good ones, but nothing stands out to me. I think everything that I wear is fashionable. It’s just a reflection of who I am, what I’m about and how I carry myself.
Nice Kicks: Fashion wise, are there any NBA or entertainment peers you like?
James Harden: Yeah, there’s a couple. For the NBA, Russell Westbrook. Sometimes he’s a little iffy but for the most part I like his wave. Kanye…there’s a lot of guys. I can take certain things from different guys and kind of incorporate that into how I dress. There’s a couple guys I watch.
Nice Kicks: We’ve seen you break out some wild stuff in the past. Any surprises you’ve got lined up for this season?
James Harden: To be honest, I haven’t been looking into clothing because I’ve been focusing on training camp and basketball. Now that training camp is starting to slow down a little bit, I’m getting more into fashion and things I’m going to wear for the regular season.
Nice Kicks: Keeping it pre-game, what music will you be listening to in warm ups this season?
James Harden: I mix it up. I listen to slow jams, I listen to Jay Z, Drake, Meek Mill, some Nipsey Hussle. There’s a lot of artists. It just depends on how I’m feeling that particular day.
Nice Kicks: Will the cooking dance continue this season?
James Harden: Yeah. [Laughs] This summer it was crazy, I saw a lot of young kids doing it. I didn’t know how powerful or impactful it was. I’ll definitely continue to do it.
James Harden in the all-white adidas Crazylight Boost 2015
Nice Kicks: And as far as your Kicks On Court, what do you have planned for Crazylight Boost colorways?
James Harden: I like the all-white ones at home. The Crazylight Boosts are really comfortable. I’ve been wearing them for a few days now and I’ve got adjusted to them. I like the red ones and I haven’t had a chance to wear the black ones yet. As time goes on, I’ll start developing different colorways that I’ll rock. That’s the thing I’m most excited for.
Special thanks to Foot Locker. Lead image by Foot Locker via the #PlayMyTweet event.
Want to know more about James Harden and his new adidas deal? Check out our exclusive interview with adidas Basketball GM Chris Grancio on the signing here and watch our exclusive interview with James on his arrival to adidas in the video below.
