Rockets’ James Harden misses first day of training camp after mask-less celebrations with Lil Baby: report
Coach said Harden was not at his scheduled workout Sunday because of NBA’s safety protocols
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Houston Rockets star James Harden was absent from the team’s first day of training camp on Sunday after posting pictures over the weekend at rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party with no face mask on, reports say.
Head coach Stephen Silas said Harden was not at his scheduled individual workout on Sunday evening because of the NBA’s COVID-19 safety protocols, which required him to quarantine at home this past week, ESPN reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I’m not exactly sure what hoops he has to jump through in order to practice with the team," Silas said. "I would just say I want him here, and I want him to be a big part of what we're doing.”
Over the weekend, Harden celebrated with Lil Baby in Atlanta for his 26th birthday. The basketball star gifted him a new Richard Mille watch and a Prada bag filled with actual honey buns and a stack of $100,000 cash.
“A Prada bag ’cause he proud of me full of honey buns with a honey bun, you know what I’m saying?” Lil Baby was heard saying in a video posted to social media. But it wasn’t the generous gift that made headlines.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NBA: TEAMS THAT BREAK VIRUS PROTOCOLS MAY LOSE GAMES, PICKS
No one in the video was wearing face masks or social distancing. Harden reportedly posted several pictures to his own social media showing the same.
It’s not immediately clear when Harden will be able to return for practice but Silas is looking forward to working with him in his first year with the Rockets.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I'm excited to coach him and have him be a part of what we just had out there with a good practice, with a bunch of guys who are working hard on both ends of the floor and had a good vibe about them,” he said, via ESPN.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON foxnews.1eye.us
Reports from last month indicated that Harden, who has two years left on his contract, had wanted out of Houston. When asked about his commitment to the team, Silas said that he would leave that question for Harden to answer himself.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We're looking forward to having him here and getting to his individual workout. That's the word I heard from the pipeline. Once he gets here, obviously the best communication for me would be face-to-face communication – not text, not phone, not anything else."