James Harden hated the attention around his Khloe Kardashian romance

Basketball star James Harden split from Khloe Kardashian because he couldn't cope with all the attention surrounding their romance.

The sportsman started dating the reality TV star in 2015, but she put a hold on their relationship at the end of that year as she helped nurse her estranged husband Lamar Odom back to health after he overdosed in a Nevada brothel.

Reports suggested Khloe and James' romance never got back on track and now the Houston Rockets star has opened up about the split, explaining he didn't like his love life being in the spotlight.

"I didn't like all the attention," the 27-year-old told Sports Illustrated. "I feel like it was for no reason.

"I wasn't getting anything out of it (the spotlight) except my name out there and my face out there, and I don't need that. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't me.

"I don't need pictures of myself when I'm driving my car. Who cares? What shoes am I wearing? Who cares? Where am I eating? Who cares? It was unnecessary stuff that I think trickled down to my teammates. I had to eliminate that."

The couple split at the beginning of 2016.

Khloe has since completed her divorce to Odom and she is now dating Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star Tristan Thompson.

The couple recently enjoyed a romantic break in Jamaica and the 32-year-old reality star called her 25-year-old toyboy "My love" in an Instagram post.

Khloe and Tristan have been dating since September (16), and Khloe regularly commutes from her home in Los Angeles to visit him in Cleveland, Ohio.

She revealed on U.S. show The Talk last month (Feb17) she was glad to be finally in a relationship that was healthy, after years of heartache.

"I feel really happy and secure and I'm just in a really positive, healthy relationship. I'm in a really good space right now in my life," she explained.