Harden has been unavailable twice in 3 days; Asik for 3 straight weeks. This on a team in which Hakeem did every interview for 17 years.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 11, 2012
I expect the folks at NBA Communications are going to raise a little fuss with the Rockets. The league actually has media access rules, and although they are openly flaunted by a majority of the 30 teams, a crackdown can happen if it gets out of control.
Harden isn’t doing himself any favors by blowing off Feigen and his Houston media colleagues. These guys have jobs to do, they have questions that need to be asked (“Hey James, did you year you dropped from No. 1 to off the chart in the SheridanHoops Top 10 MVP candidates ranking?“).
Same thing with Asik.
Not doing himself any favors.
If Asik doesn’t give folks some new material, we have no choice but to tell stories about Asik, like the time at the 2010 World Championship semifinal when he pulled off the biggest flop in FIBA history (he got hit on the chin on a fast break when Serbia fouled him, he rolled around on the floor for a full 5 minutes holding his belly and writhing in fake pain, and he refused to get up until he was assured that he would be removed from the game so a better free throw shooter could replace him and take the two shots). Video after the jump.
David Aldridge says
Omer Asik gives your folks material whenever he wants to.
http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/chicago_bulls_center_omer_asik_with_miss_ohio/4731546
Also, I am not happy with how Pop handles my questions.
John Hollinger says
Thank god, you get fired from ESPN.