Inside James Harden's Signature Shoe Release Day

HOUSTON — It all started with a note.

Before James Harden became a four-time NBA All-Star. Before he was voted onto three All-NBA teams for the ridiculous number of points he puts up after shaking defenders with his patented stepback of death. Before he became the undisputed franchise player of the Houston Rockets. Before he became one of the league’s biggest superstars and before he made “bearding” a thing...

He was a ninth-grader with a dream written on a homemade Post-it note.

That note, minor as it may seem, is part of Harden's story. It's the story he wants to tell with his signature Harden Vol. 1 shoe line. Each shoe release will have a special memory cherry-picked from his journey to his current Beard-God status attached, hence, the volume designation in the title.

“I wrote a note to my mom, asking her for some lunch money, as every kid does,” Harden said after a team shootaround in the Toyota Center. “I wrote her a note. I wrote ‘P.S. keep this note. One day Imma be a star.’ She has that note to this day. I think it was important for me to express where I came from and how I got to this point and everything in between. So that’s a great memory for us to share.”

Sharing is definitely caring for Harden this season. Through 14 games, he’s averaging 28.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and a league-leading 12.4 assists per outing.

And as much as he’s enjoying all of the pick-and-pops with sweet shooters like Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, or the pick-and-rolls with the high-flying Clint Capela, Harden is practically giddy about the chance to share some of his “swag” with fans.

“Honestly, man, it’s a blessing to have my signature shoe drop today,” Harden said. “I’m extremely excited. Once in a lifetime opportunity. The ‘Imma Star, Harden Volume 1’ drops today. Obviously, you have to get prepared for a game tonight. But just that feeling has got me smiling all day.”

So, what is it like unveiling a signature shoe on a game day? A day you've been thirsting for as an NBA superstar?

Maybe less glamorous than you think.

Because Harden had to gear up to face the Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, one of the league’s best backcourt duos, before heading out for a five-game road trip, there were no in-store appearances or shoe giveaways or autographs.

But there were tweets. Lots and lots of tweets.

He smiled all day, ear to ear, while letting tweets fly like long balls from behind the arc. 

In today's day and age of social media, Twitter and Instagram make the promotional process a keyboard away when game day takes priority. Last month, however, all of Houston was watching Harden as he rolled out the full-blown shoe release experience at Houston's Warehouse Live.

It was a multimedia event fit for a brand ambassador who's "here to create."

The dimly lit venue was filled with basketball hoops, fog machines, advertorial graphics and various colorways of the Harden Vol. 1 sneaker.

After the shoe's designers explained the finished product was a result of motion tracking technology that measured Harden's disruptive change of pace (and his cunning use of deceleration as he navigates his way through and around defenders into the lane), there was a fashion show with hip-hop's glitterati sitting front row.

Good friend YG? He was there. Jeweler to the stars Ben Baller? He was there. Chart-toppers Young Thug and Travis Scott? They were in the house, too.

Adidas

“We weren’t going to just put shoes on the shelves and say ‘This is James Harden,’” Harden said. “It’s built for how I play, and you’ll see my style, different moods, the little details and stories that represent who I am. People always ask me, ‘How are you different?’ It’s hard to explain how you’re different, but the shoe explains it for me.”

Later that night, there was an after-party at the swanky downtown nightclub, Prohibition, where rap stars like Nipsey Hussle joined YG, Young Thug and Travis Scott to bring down the house with lively performances that included Harden dancing on the stage and singing along to the lyrics like hip-hop karaoke.

Adidas

“This just shows you that anything is possible, especially young kids that have a dream.” Harden said. "I’m here to create, and that’s all there is to it."

Rockets Insider's Notebook

Harden Gives Assist to Flood Victims

After Harden's mother, Monja Willis, watched the aftermath of the devastating flood in Houston back during April, she knew she wanted to help.

So after consulting with her son, Willis and Harden provided a catered Thanksgiving meal to the families in the North Houston District that were affected.

Flanked by teammates Bobby Brown, Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley, Harden fed more than 150 people from the area at Harvest Time Church.

"I'm blessed to be able to give back," Harden said. "I'm not only a basketball player. I'm a role model. I'm a leader. I'm a guy that loves the community, loves to give back, so this is a great opportunity to make a positive impact on other people."

Rockets Recall Onuaku and Wiltjer

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey announced Monday that the team had recalled forward Kyle Wiltjer and center Chinanu Onuaku from the team's D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

While playing in all five games, both saw a lot of action. Onuaku, who went viral for his underhanded free-throw shooing technique, averaged 12.2 points and 13 rebounds per game. Wiltjer lit it up from deep: He averaged 21 points per contest and was tied for second in the D-League with 15 made three-pointers.

Now that Patrick Beverley is back, Mike D'Antoni's rotations are basically set. It may take some time or an unexpected injury for Onuaku or Wiltjer to log any minutes.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats accurate as of Nov. 23 and courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com.

Maurice Bobb covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ReeseReport