James Harden says he was NOT making a statement with his Blue Lives Matter mask in the NBA bubble this week ... saying he simply wore the face covering 'cause he thought it "looked cool."
"I just felt like it was something that covered my whole face and the beard," the Houston Rockets superstar told reporters. "I thought it looked cool, that was it."
FYI, Harden has been catching a TON of heat over the mask after social media sleuths found out the mask is called the "Thin Blue Patriot" and supports the Blue Lives Matter movement.