James Harden Once Opened Up on Tough Life in Compton: “It Was Pretty Dangerous, Like a Lot of Environments Around the world.The More You Can Try to Focus on the Positive and Stay Away From the Streets, the Better Off You’ll Be.”

Published 12/05/2021, 11:30 AM EST

The story of James Harden has inspired many NBA fans. He was a teenager who made the journey from the streets of Compton, California to become a basketball player. His dedication is evident from many anecdotes.

In high school, he had to practice his hoop skills before his school began in the morning.

Today, James Harden is a professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets, and he is totally focused on winning championships. In an interview, Harden and his mother talked about the struggles they faced while living in Compton and how his mother made them self-reliant.

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Nets star James Harden on how sports shaped his life

In the 1990s, Compton was notorious for its gang violence and drive-by shootings. Harden mentioned in an interview in 2017 that it was difficult to sustain in that environment and pursue his dream.

“It was pretty dangerous, like a lot of environments around the world,” Harden told The Undefeated, “The more you can try to focus on the positive and stay away from [the streets], the better off you’ll be.”

His mother Monja Willis discusses the formative years of her children and how she prevented them from being a part of that neighborhood.

“I used to tell the kids if you go out there and do something wrong and the police come to my door, I want to ask them, ‘Well, what did that kid have on?’ ” Willis said.

She also believed in the principle that she would rather hear about her children’s problems from them, rather than someone else.

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Harden’s mother wanted her children to participate in sports to keep them away from the streets. Sports are a positive influence on children and improve their physical health. Harden always favored basketball as a sport.

Willis also mentioned that when Harden was growing up she used to take him to the gym so he could practice basketball as he had a strong shot, but he could not master the fundamentals. She also set him up to start playing baseball for about 3 years.

We would like to know your opinion on Harden’s successful life and what you think of his achievements till date.

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Anshika Rai is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. She is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Anshika has been following NBA for many years now.

James Harden Once Opened Up on Tough Life in Compton: “It Was Pretty Dangerous, Like a Lot of Environments Around the world.The More You Can Try to Focus on the Positive and Stay Away From the Streets, the Better Off You’ll Be.”

Nets star James Harden on how sports shaped his life

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