The Houston Rockets and NBA are reviewing video of James Harden partying maskless at a strip club to determine if he violated the league’s COVID-19 protocols, putting the perennial All-Star’s availability for Houston’s season opener Wednesday night in question, sources told ESPN.
The video, which was published by Black Sports Online and has been circulating on social media, is purportedly from a Houston strip club’s Christmas party held this week. The Rockets and the league office are attempting to verify that it is indeed a recent video, which would confirm that Harden violated the league’s protocols.
The NBA’s COVID protocols prohibit players from going to bars, lounges or clubs and from participating in social gatherings of more than 15 people.
Harden, who has requested to be traded, violated the league’s COVID protocols during his brief holdout at the beginning of training camp, when he attended rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party in Atlanta and hung out in Las Vegas clubs. The league required Harden to have six consecutive days of negative coronavirus tests before clearing him to practice with the Rockets.