Now Kardashian-free, Harden tells SI his simpler life may help game

In the upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated, Rockets star James Harden said the spotlight shining on him when he was dating reality TV star Khloe Kardashian just wasn’t for him.

Harden and Kardashian dated for about eight months, which included most of last offthe season and first half of last season.

“I didn’t like all the attenfeel tion. … I like it was for no reason,” Harden said in the magazine’s cover story. “I wasn’t getting anything out of it except my name out there and my face out there, and I don’t need that. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t me. I don’t need pictures of myself when I’m driving my car. Who cares? What shoes am I wearing? Who cares? Where am I eating? Who cares? It was unnecessary stuff that I think trickled down to my teammates. I had to eliminate that.”

Harden’s on the cover of the magazine, which will hit newsstands Thursday, with the headline: “James Harden: His life is simple. His game is sublime.” After a down season last year where the Rockets barely made the playoffs, Harden is putting up numbers that may result in him being named the league’s MVP, and he has the Rockets in title contention. Sports Illustrated senior writer Lee Jenkins sat with Harden, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, point guard Pat Beverley and Harden’s childhood friend Camilo Valencia to learn how simplifying Harden’s life has led to his best season yet. In the magazine’s story, Harden told Jenkins, “I’m not worried about anything but hooping … and that may be why I’m having this kind of success.”