James Harden Says Dating Khloe Kardashian Negatively Affected His Life & Career

The Houston Rockets are 42-19 and currently hold the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture with just 21 regular season games remaining.

Rockets guard James Harden is having a career year (28.8 points, 11 assists, 8.1 rebounds per game) and undoubtedly is an NBA MVP candidate — if not the favorite — as we speak.

The Rockets have a new coach in Mike D’Antoni and a number of new players this season (Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, most recently Lou Williams), but they apparently aren’t the main or only reason Harden is ballin’ like one of the three best players in the world.

James Harden Explains How Khloe Kardashian Was Dragging Down His Life & Career https://t.co/QsaLlNiijV via @thacover2 pic.twitter.com/oLqdVnfBbT

— BlackSportsOnline (@BSO) February 28, 2017

Harden recently sat down for an interview with Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated, in which he opened up about Khloe Kardashian, whom he dated for eight months between June 2015 and February 2016.

From Khloe and Dwight to D'Antoni and Nash, how James Harden untangled his life and his franchise, for @SInow: https://t.co/GeDNdDSlki

— Lee Jenkins (@SI_LeeJenkins) February 28, 2017

From SI:

“I’m not worried about anything but hooping,” says Harden, 27, “and that may be why I’m having this kind of success.” The process of untangling a crowded life began a year ago, when he and Khloé broke up after an eight-month romance, which began with a meeting at Kanye West’s basketball-themed birthday party at Staples Center in June. Harden does not reference Khloé but reflects on the tabloid apparatus that accompanies her. “I didn’t like all the attention,” he says. “I feel like it was for no reason. 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, as fame seeker, was never a fit. Yes, he has the illustrious beard and the outrageous wardrobe, and his nightlife is a lot more fun than Netflix. But his personality is muted, as anyone who interviews him can attest. “I think he wanted to take his fame out for a spin,” says a Rockets source, “and I think he decided he liked it better in the garage.” Harden, who typically summers in L.A., chose Phoenix so he could avoid the tabloid big top and breathe the college air. “I wanted to be around the people who knew me before all this…” he says, flicking the tuft on his chin. It flows like an amoeba.

Harden also spoke about his counterproductive relationship with former teammate and current Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard in what is a fascinating look into the mind of the NBA’s most quiet superstar.

As for Kardashian, she’s currently dating Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson, and has yet to comment on Harden’s interview.