HOUSTON—They were just a couple of California kids dreaming big dreams 15 or 20 years ago, each driven to find their way from the gyms of Los Angeles to the bright lights of the NBA.
Now that DeMar DeRozan of the Raptors and long-time buddy James Harden of the Houston Rockets have established themselves as two of the best players in the league, they want to offer hope to teenagers who were as they were back in the day.
They know that there are Los Angelinos who see them as role models and examples to follow, and DeRozan says they take that responsibility seriously.