James Harden, Paije Speights Johnny Nunez/WireImage; Courtesy of Paije Speights/Instagram
James Harden had an unexpected reaction to girlfriend Paije Speights catching the bouquet at a wedding.
The couple attended retired basketball player Rajon Rondo and now-wife Latoia Fitzgerald’s nuptials in Lake Como in Italy, per Vibe. In a clip shared via X on Sunday, June 9, Speights participated in the classic bouquet toss game during the reception. As the crowd fought to catch the flowers, the bouquet ended up falling on the floor near the back of the room where Speights and Harden, 34, were standing.
Speights excitedly grabbed the white flowers and turned to Harden — whose reaction was priceless. Harden’s eyes were wide and his jaw was dropped. The Los Angeles Clippers star remained frozen as Speights engulfed him in a hug while holding the bouquet.
The bouquet toss is a tradition at weddings. It is commonly believed that whoever is lucky enough to grab the flowers is likely to get married next.
Gabrielle Union, Ayesha Curry, Jordyn Woods and more stars have settled down with professional basketball players over the years. The Bring It On actress, for her part, met Dwyane Wade in 2007 at a Super Bowl party. The two called it quits in early 2013 due to conflicting schedules and long-distance difficulties, but rekindled their […]
Fans took to the comments section to share their joy in Harden’s awkward reaction and dubbed his expression as an “instant meme.”
“That’s the time he should have played some defense 🤷🏾♂️,” one user quipped, while another retorted, “Prenuptial agreements are currently being drafted in his head….”
instant new meme, James Harden reacts to his girlfriend catching the bouquet at a wedding party 😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/LEUeZUeC2i
— SOUND (@itsavibe) June 9, 2024
After the video went viral, Speights took to her Instagram Story to react to the now viral moment.
“I wasn’t even participating lol I’m standing outside the circle in the back,” she wrote on Sunday per Sportskeeda. “The bouquet landed right at my feet. Hey, a win is a win.”
That same day, Speights later shared a video via her story of her holding the bouquet and smiling with the flowers while on the dance floor.
In addition to going viral, the clip also marked Speights and Harden’s public debut as a couple. The pair have kept their romance low-key. Before being linked to Speights in 2017, Harden previously dated Khloé Kardashian and Jessyka Janshel.
The wedding was Harden’s first event after the Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated from the NBA postseason last month. This was Harden’s first season with the Clippers after requesting a trade from his previous team the Philadelphia 76ers.
Earlier this month, Harden opened up about how he wants to be remembered as a “winner” and “teacher” after he decides to hang up his uniform.
“Put the money aside, I really enjoy and love the game of basketball and playing it,” he said in a June interview with BasketNews. “Whether it’s being with the kids here or when I travel [to] other places in Europe. When I go to China, I just want people to understand how much I really love and enjoy the game of basketball.”
