James Harden is undeniably one of the NBA’s most talented players. He’s a superb scorer, excellent point guard and apparently, he’s also pretty good at making sure he doesn’t miss practice.
A clip of Harden discussing a 2 a.m. studio session with Lil Durk, Meek Mill, and Lil Baby is currently circulating the internet.
The newest member of the Philadelphia 76ers revealed in the video that he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see some of his favorite rappers record.
Harden’s story takes place several years ago when he was still playing for the Houston Rockets. “They all called me like, ‘Yo, we about to pull up to Houston.’ Baby, Durk, Meek. They all come to the house [from] Atlanta, like 2 in the morning. I gotta go to practice in the morning! They come in the studio and I’m up with them the whole time,” Harden recalled.
“And I go right from the studio at 7:30 a.m. right to practice. I can’t miss this opportunity,” he continued. “They in the studio, I gotta see what these dudes about to talk about.”
In 2021, Harden served as an executive producer for Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s joint album The Voice of the Heroes. In a statement around the time of the album’s release, Harden spoke about leaving late-night studio sessions with the rap duo and going directly to basketball practice right after.
“From the beginning, I’ve had a passion for basketball, and music has always gone hand and hand with it. It drives me on the daily to continue to be the best at what I do, to always strive for more. I see that same passion in Lil Baby & Lil Durk,” Harden stated.
“From late nights in my studio in Houston, the two of them being by my side as I transitioned from Houston to New York. It was truly an honor to watch them in their element.”
Countless hours in the studio watching them create was an absolute privilege, to say the least. They put the same work & dedication into their craft as I do,” he continued.
“Leaving all-night studio sessions going straight to practice with the songs they made gave me a newfound motivation. The Voice & The Hero two killers at the top of their game the collaboration only seemed right. I just hope the same impact they have on me, they have on world.”
On Friday (Feb. 25), Harden made his debut as a Philadelphia 76er. He had 27 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds in a blowout 133-102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Check out the clip below: