Houston Rockets All Stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook recently sat down for a joint interview with GQ’s Mark Anthony Green as part of the Outkast-inspired photo shoot for the March issue. During the discussion, the former MVPs addressed a range of topics including their fashion, style of play, and relationship with the late, great Nipsey Hussle, who was reportedly planning to start his own sports agency.
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Like Nipsey, Harden and Westbrook grew up in the L.A. area and they both had a close relationship with Nip, as well as a deep appreciation for his movement in the area. When asked about the moment they learned of Nipsey’s murder, Harden revealed how Nip had spoke about starting a Marathon Sports Agency.
Harden: A couple days before he passed, I had rented a house in L.A., and he pulled up by himself—no security, no nothing. Beats [by Dre] set a whole dinner up. They came and cooked at the house, and we were talking. He had a deal with a casino.
Westbrook: Yep, in Vegas.
Harden: He wanted to do a Marathon sports agency. [The Marathon was Hussle’s multifaceted company, which sought to uplift the local L.A. community.] So me, him, and [James’s manager] Zo and all the homies, we were just talking about it. We just had an in-depth conversation, smoking a cigar in the back, just chopping it up about how big we can make this. And then one day I’m sitting back in Vegas, and I get the phone call, and I’m like, “It’s impossible.”
Harden adds, “I still want to figure out how to make [the agency] happen. Like, that’s one of my goals.”
