Rockets' James Harden cherishes being All-Star in hometown LA

LOS ANGELES – If Los Angeles was no more than the town where James Harden grew up, a part of his past, returning there as an All-Star would not have meant so much. Had he moved on, leaving it behind like old photos, maybe worth an occasional visit but no longer a part of his life, he would not have thought about the road that led him back here.

He moved, first to Arizona State, then Oklahoma City and finally to Houston, where he planted roots deep enough to hold him there for his foreseeable future. But he never left home behind.

Though he has played in Staples Center often before, being there as an All-Star and the MVP favorite on Sunday brought reminders not just of watching the All-Star game played there, but of all those times over the years he played close by and a world away.

"It means a lot, especially me coming from LA and watching the All-Star game, watching Kobe (Bryant) and watching Shaq (O'Neal) in All-Star games. My first time being a part of it a little bit was my second year, being in the rookie-sophomore game. Being an All-Star and competing is a different feeling. I embrace it, cherish it."

Harden has remained immensely proud of coming from Los Angeles. He cites the other NBA stars of his generation, particularly DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, from the city that he still considers his hometown. But few others saw the potential in him that he saw as he ventured from Compton to courts wherever he could find suitable competition.

"I hooped everywhere in LA, parks, inside, in the 'hood, nice gyms. I mean, everywhere," Harden said. "I was a hooper. Wherever there were games, there was basketball, good competition, I would go. There were too many I got whipped. That's what made me who I am. There were older guys, guys more physical, guys that were better than me. My competitive nature came out. Most of the time, I didn't win. That's what made me.

"There's been plenty of situations I was the underdog and didn't win. Sometimes I won. Sometimes I got my (butt) kicked."

He did not stand out at Scott Pera's camp, but played for Pera, now Rice's coach, at Artesia High in the Lakewood area about 15 minutes away from home. Pera began to see the talent in Harden, but he did not crack the starting lineup until he was a sophomore. Harden just kept playing.

Artesia won state championships in Harden's junior and senior seasons, but Harden speaks as much about the times on courts all over the city. He was a fixture in the Drew League, where he still returns each summer. In 2015, when he sprained his ankle, he ached more he said about not being on the courts.

Over the years, he has placed greater emphasis on off-season drills and workouts, but the courts around Los Angeles are still home, every bit as much as the All-Star stage on Sunday.

"It just shows the passion, the love I have for it," Harden said. "I've been having since I was a little kid. I think every basketball player has had it. It changes. As you get older, some people fall out of love with the game or lose touch with the game. For me, that connection that was there from when I was a little kid got even better. I think it got even better because of the things I've seen in the game.

"It's everything. It's my safe house. It's work. It's love. It's home. When I'm in between those lines, I don't think about anything else."