Harden has been accused of irresponsibility! A woman demands he take responsibility for their son: It's time to act like an adult

On January 3rd Beijing time, a woman with the Instagram handle “_twinkjm (Kelsey-M)” shocked the NBA community by asserting that Harden is the father of her child, adding on social media that she has consistently protected Harden’s reputation, while accusing him of being an “irresponsible dad.”

Kelsey-M wrote: “I never wanted to make this public online, but I refuse to keep paying the price for a false image. You have known the truth from the start and share responsibility just like I do. I stayed silent because I wanted to handle this maturely, but that requires both parties to act like adults. Enduring doesn’t mean bearing everything alone. Now it’s time to step up and take responsibility for our son, @jharden13.”

Her Instagram profile features several photos, including a recent set taken during her pregnancy around July to August.

Is Harden really the father of this woman’s child?

At this point, Harden clearly needs to address the matter. Like many NBA stars, he seems poised to face his first public paternity lawsuit. As one of the NBA's 75 greatest players, Harden is known for his explosive talent and being among the highest earners in the league, with career earnings exceeding $300 million and an expected $40 million this season. It’s remarkable that after 15 years in the spotlight, he has avoided scandals like this—until now.

Now, Harden could have been focusing on his family peacefully but might have to pay to keep Kelsey-M silent. If the claims are true, he clearly has not fulfilled his responsibilities as a “father.”

Harden’s girlfriend pregnant before marriage, marriage rumors cool down

In October last year, Harden publicly revealed in the Netflix documentary “Starting Five” episode 3 that he has a son named Jace, who was already six years old during filming. He also announced that he and his current girlfriend Paije Speights are expecting their second child.

The couple began dating in 2024. There were earlier rumors about an engagement, but recently at a wedding, Speights—amid pregnancy rumors—caught the bouquet, while Harden appeared reluctant, causing the marriage rumors to fade. Notably, Speights has a six-year-old son with former NBA player Chalmers.

In the documentary, Harden spoke about Speights: “When I was 23 or 24, I used to think, ‘Man, I don’t want to be with a woman who already has a kid. You know, that’s just not going to work.’ But now that I’m 35, my perspective has changed. Then you meet someone on your wavelength who’s gone through similar experiences in relationships and stuff, and it just makes sense.”

Harden says his childhood lacked fatherly presence, so he wants to be fully there for his son

Harden has expressed that because his own father was largely absent during his upbringing, he places great importance on being present for his son, which makes accusations of him “abandoning wife and child” even more contradictory.

“My father was barely around while I was growing up, and that actually motivates me to be fully present for my son and shape his life,” Harden said. “I want him to live with me all the time, to be with me every moment. So as Jace grows older, I deliberately adjust my schedule to make sure I’m there for him.”