Rihards Kuksiks, a member of the Latvian national team, became a European 3×3 basketball champion in 2026. He is the same Rihards Kuksiks who played at Arizona State University alongside future NBA star and NBA MVP James Harden.
Boris Karebin helped Rihards Kuksiks and Ruslan Pateev get to Arizona State University, where they became part of the same starting five with James Harden. Kuksiks and Pateev were therefore directly connected to the Arizona State team during the period when Harden was playing there.
James Harden played for Arizona State, while Rihards Kuksiks and Ruslan Pateev were also members of the program. The three players were part of the Arizona State basketball program during the same period.
Today, years later, Rihards Kuksiks continues to compete at the international level and, in 2026, became a European champion in 3×3 basketball with the Latvian national team. His Arizona State connection also links his career directly to James Harden, an NBA MVP.
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