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No one will ever say the Nets “Big Three” are boring.
In an incident on one of the most chic streets of Paris Thursday, James Harden was frisked and questioned by Paris police after his friend, Lil’ Baby, and two others were stopped and arrested for narcotics possession. Harden, in the French capitol for the annual Paris Fashion Show, was not arrested but his friend, the rapper Lil Baby, aka Dominque Jones, as two others were taken into custody.
Le Parisien, the Paris newspaper, carried this account of the incident, as translated by Google.
At 4:50 p.m. exactly, at 33 avenue Montaigne, local police checked the three passengers of a vehicle that smelled strongly of cannabis. Among them, the artist Dominique Jones, better known as Lil Baby. During the search of the vehicle by a judicial police officer, approximately 20 grams of herbal cannabis was discovered in the passenger compartment.
James Harden, who was not present in the vehicle, intervened and was checked, as seen in a video that quickly went viral on social media. The three individuals who were on board were taken to the 8th arrondissement police station. The star player of the Brooklyn Nets has, meanwhile, been left free.
More than one bystander shared video of the situation, some criticizing the police...
Bravo à la police française ♂️ des incompétents… même pas capable de reconnaître James HARDEN pic.twitter.com/YLAeBFdaXk
— cateregardeap (@TiSoldier971) July 8, 2021
Lil Baby a été embarqué par la police et est actuellement en garde à vue pour transport de stupéfiants.
— Kultur (@Kulturlesite_) July 8, 2021
Une enquête a été ouverte.
pic.twitter.com/Chj0sH7QB5
Harden and long-time friend Lil’ Baby are in town for the Paris Fashion Show. On Wednesday, the two and Kanye West had a front row seat for show by Balenciaga, one of The Beard’s favorite designers.
Kanye, James Harden, Lil Baby in the front row @BALENCIAGA pic.twitter.com/Y4h7QjDOrj
— Cathy Horyn (@CathyHoryn) July 7, 2021
Back in December, before he was traded to the Nets, Harden famously gave Lil’ Baby a Prada duffel bag filled with actual honey buns and a slang honey bun, which is $100,000 in cash. The bag also included a brand-new Richard Mille watch.
Harden has long been interested in fashion and was recently named to the board of directors of Saks.com, the online store for New York retailer Saks Fifth Avenue.
A spokesperson for the Nets said the team was aware of the incident.
- James Harden frisked by cops, Lil’ Baby detained during eventful Paris Fashion Week - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- James Harden briefly detained by Paris cops, pal Lil Baby reportedly busted for weed - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News
- Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden stopped by police in Paris, not arrested - ESPN
- James Harden hits Paris Fashion Week with Kanye and Lil Baby - Jeremy Willis - ESPN
- LIL BABY & JAMES HARDEN STOPPED & SEARCHED BY COPS IN PARIS - TMZ