‘I thought it looked cool’: James Harden says his ‘thin blue line’ mask was not a political statement

The Houston Rockets star was spotted inside the NBA bubble wearing a mask with a design associated with the pro-police “Blue Lives Matter.” On Friday, Harden told reporters that he was not aware of the association: “It was just something that covered my whole beard. I thought it looked cool. That was it.”

“Harden’s face covering featured the “thin blue line,” a pro-police symbol that critics have long claimed also stands for white supremacy and opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement; and a Punisher skull, which has been associated with far-right groups.”