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NBA ALL-STAR 2020

February 15, 2020

James Harden

Chicago, Illinois

Q. What advice would you give to someone who wants to play basketball?
JAMES HARDEN: To work hard and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything. Obviously, there's always going to be haters and negativity towards your dreams, but block that out and just go get it.

Q. Do you have a favorite for the Dunk Contest tonight?
JAMES HARDEN: I don't know. I'm just excited to see what happens.

Q. And the 3-Point Contest?
JAMES HARDEN: I'm excited about that too. It's always great. These 3-Point contests and Dunk contests are always great. There's always some excitement. Especially the Dunk contests, there's a lot of creativity. Guys have got to be creative because every year it gets better. I think we're always excited to see what the guy brings out.

Q. You played with him in an exhibition game. What are your memories of Kobe?
JAMES HARDEN: Everything. He was a worldwide legend. We shared so many moments. After that, I went back to the Philippines several times, and those fans are amazing there, and they showed me mad love.

Q. James, can we talk about the difference between the Rockets of today and the Rockets that started the season?
JAMES HARDEN: We have the same style. We have the same style. It's just more spacing. More spacing for our drivers to be able to get to the basket and make plays.

Q. Focused on doing the big man's job now?
JAMES HARDEN: It's all of us. We're a team. So whatever five is on that court is going to have to do the job.

Q. On the team playing small lineups:
JAMES HARDEN: That's the NBA now. NBA is faster. Guys are able to shoot, more athletic. So that's the way it goes. That's the way our team is built.

Q. What do you think about eight non-Americans playing in the game tomorrow?
JAMES HARDEN: This game has a global reach. I think that's exciting. It give the fans and everyone, little kids around the world the confidence to think they can make it to the NBA. I think the eight non-Americans are showing their countries that you can make it if you're a little kid.

Q. What do you tell some of the new players about this experience?
JAMES HARDEN: First of all, congratulations that you made it to the NBA, but the hardest part is staying in the league. You see so many young guys that are talented that just don't have the right mindset to be able to sustain a 10, 15-year career. That's when the work just is now starting.

You have to be able to listen. You have to be able to put the right work in and eliminate distractions. But it's fun. If you do it the right way, you're able to provide for your family and generations of your family.

Q. Are you trying to play at least 20 years?
JAMES HARDEN: I'm going to play as long as I can, as long as the game gives me.

Q. How have you changed as a person?
JAMES HARDEN: Just more aware, knowing what I want and what I don't want.

Q. On his goals:
JAMES HARDEN: Basketball-wise, obviously, I want a championship. I want to be one of the greats to ever play the game of basketball. So whether it's changing the game and things that I don't tolerate, things that are distractions, things that I can eliminate, things that can get me to where I want to go. It's a lot of everything.

Q. James, you talked to us before about blocking out the haters. What's the best part about doing that?
JAMES HARDEN: That means you're doing something right. If you don't have haters, you don't have people not wanting you to succeed, then you're just not doing what you're supposed to be doing. It's a part of it. It's a part of when you're on the top and when you're doing what you're supposed to be doing.

Q. What do you think about a midseason tournament?
JAMES HARDEN: That's in discussions. Anything that will keep the fans excited and keep the fans going, it's a question.

Q. On his influence on the game:
JAMES HARDEN: I think all of it. I think all of it. I've traveled around the world, and I see little kids doing the step-back and saying, "Hey, James, look, I can do the step-back." Obviously, the step-back was a move before me, but I think the reinvention of it is something I've been a part of.

And obviously beards and all that stuff. It's dope. Coming from where I come from, we don't really make it this far, so that's pretty cool.

Q. How do you feel playing with Russell [Westbrook]?
JAMES HARDEN: How do I feel playing with Russ? It's an honor. Obviously, he's very talented, even -- he made the All-Star Game many years, so for us to be on the same team now, it's exciting.

Q. Personally, let me say I love the logo on your hat. Is there anybody you'd want to play one-on-one?
JAMES HARDEN: Anybody.

Q. James, can you describe to us the first time being an All-Star, the first time you played?
JAMES HARDEN: Yeah, it was actually my first time when I got traded to Houston. That was my first All-Star Game was in Houston. So I was excited just to be in Houston, be an All-Star, and the whole experience. Like to be able to contact and reach global fans that I've never seen before that I never was able to talk to. So it was a dope experience for me.

Q. Who inspires you?
JAMES HARDEN: I get inspired by anybody. I'm just one of those guys that watch the NBA -- it's not even NBA. It's like high school games, college games. I find inspiration from anything to be able to keep me pushing and keep me being great. So it's not just about old-school players.

Q. Who are some of the guys that have helped you along the way?
JAMES HARDEN: I had a lot of vets. I mean, I had like Nick Collison, when I was on the OKC team, Nazr Mohammed, Kevin Ollie. Those are some guys that allowed me as a young guy to push through it. Told me it was all a bunch of mental and your work ethic. If you don't have those two, you can't last very long in this league. So I had some very, very good vets for me.

Q. Is there anybody that you feel should be involved this weekend that's not here right now?
JAMES HARDEN: What do you mean? Player-wise?

Q. Player-wise, yes. Anybody that's not here that should be here?
JAMES HARDEN: No, I think everybody that deserves to be here is here, whether it's your individual game or your team success. So I think, for the most part, the fans and coaches and players do a pretty good job of picking out who's been playing well, who's been hooping.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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