HOUSTON – After a regular season worthy of MVP consideration -- to a dreadful ending to the postseason -- things just got tougher for Rockets star James Harden's offseason.
On Monday, Harden was hit with a lawsuit by Moses Malone Jr. -- son of the late Rockets legend.
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In the lawsuit, Malone says he was assaulted by four men. Malone says Harden orchestrated the attack.
"Innocent until proven guilty, but I would hope James Harden wouldn't do anything like that," says Rockets fan Adam Bob. "And I couldn't believe that he did."
Most fans we spoke to are in disbelief.
"He's probably really upset," says Celia Aguero. "So getting hit with a lawsuit probably really doesn't help."
The assault happened in June of last year at a now-closed strip club on Richmond Avenue near Fountain View Drive near The Galleria.
The lawsuit says in retaliation for a social media post Malone made about Harden -- when Malone arrived at the club that night, the men -- led by Darian Blount -- who was an employee at the establishment -- were "armed with a variety of handguns and assault weapons, punched and kicked Moses in the face several times. Some of Blount's men used their weapons to strike Moses on the head knocking him to the ground."
The lawsuit also says "Blount's men ripped Moses' diamond earrings off his ears and stole several pieces of Moses' jewelry."
And in perhaps the most shocking claim from Malone's attorneys -- they say "It has come to light that James Harden paid Blount approximately $20,000 to put a hit on Moses."
Channel 2 reached out to the Rockets and to Harden's agent, but as of this writing has gotten no response.
