It is not often that James Harden sits down with reporters and fully lets his guard down. The Philadelphia 76ers star is well-coached in his handling of the media and is calculated and careful with his statements in order to stay out of the all-too-frequent headlines and gossip of sports media. However, in an in-depth interview with Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports, Harden gave a rare look beyond the flashy outfits, nights out with rappers, and record-breaking stat lines. For a unique moment, he showed what continues to drive him and why he may be one of the more misunderstood superstars in the modern NBA.
At the top of this list of goals, he is still chasing is that ever-elusive championship. Despite the 10 all-stars, three scoring championships, and MVP on his resume, the desire to put a ring on his finger has been the biggest motivating factor throughout Harden’s career. This is what forced him to seek a trade upon seeing the championship window close in Houston and once again when things went off the rails with the Brooklyn Nets. Upon being asked by Weitzman if it bothers him the reputation of coming up small in the postseason, Harden sternly put it “Don’t you care about how you’ll be remembered? Of course and I’m gonna be remembered in basketball!”
What is Harden’s Legacy
During the interview Harden himself pointed out that he had changed the sport of basketball. He is absolutely correct about this and has accomplished statistical feats that will surely outlive his playing career. While Daryl Morey and the Rockets oftentimes get the majority of the credit for this analytically-driven style of basketball, it would not be possible without the superstar at the helm. Harden was perfect for this role.
During his nine seasons in Houston, Harden averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He is the only player in NBA history to average 34+ points and 7.5+ assists over the course of a season. In fact, he did it twice. In 2018-19 he averaged 36.1 points and 7.5 assists and during the 2019-20 season he produced 34.3 points and 7.5 assists. He led the NBA in scoring in each of these seasons. Harden averaged 33.7 points per game between the 2018-2020 seasons joining Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to eclipse this. He also is one of only four players to have a season averaging 11+ assists as well as a year averaging 30+ points. Harden eclipsed this passing total during the 2016-17 season and has averaged over 30 points per game three times.
3 years ago today, James Harden followed up a 55-PT performance with this one against the Orlando Magic:
54 PTS
10/15 3PT
7 AST
3 BLK
It took just a few games playing alongside Harden for Georges Niang to declare him a “basketball savant.” The 33-year-old sees the game differently oftentimes creating looks for guys they don’t even expect. He has made life significantly easier for Joel Embiid by making effective entry passes and feeding him on cuts, rolls, and pops in a way that has never been done as effectively. It is no coincidence that Embiid saw his scoring average increase from 29.6 points per game at the start of last season to 32.6 points per game following the trade. Embiid has once again seen his average increase to an NBA-best 33.3 points per game this season. Harden also ranks first in the NBA in assists per game at 10.8 so far this season.
19 PTS, 16 AST for James Harden vs. CHA
It’s unbelievable how effectively he gets his teammates involved …
Getting Back to Being MVP-Harden?
It has been hamstring injuries that have ultimately triggered the decline in Harden’s play which has been taxing on him both physically and mentally. As Harden put it, “The whole two years was a low point. I’ve never really had to deal with something like that. My body, mentally, physically … It was a lot going on. I mean, basketball is everything to me,” per Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports.
These issues first occurred following the trade to Brooklyn where he remained at an MVP level upon arrival. While Harden had to adjust to sharing the court with other gifted offensive players, the 24.6 points, 10.9 assists, and 8.5 rebounds he produced were vital to the Nets winning 27 of the first 36 games with Harden on the court and setting record offensive numbers in the process.
James Harden (10.1 APG) can thread the needle to set up his teammates! 👀
Watch @JHarden13 and the @BrooklynNets take on the Warriors tonight for Saturday Primetime on ABC at 8:30pm/et.
Then came the hamstring issues which caused Harden to miss 21 of Brooklyn’s final 24 games. He returned for the postseason but still clearly wasn’t right. Harden reinjured the hamstring during Game 1 against the Bucks and was unable to have any sort of burst on the court. This did not stop him from continuing to soldier through and give his best effort, including playing 53 minutes in the Game 7 overtime loss, but it wore heavily on Harden that his biggest asset (his body) seemed to be what let him down. According to his manager and longtime friend Troy Payne, the feeling that he let his teammates down by being unable to perform to the best of his abilities especially bothered Harden.
James Harden went 5/26 from 3 in his 3 games back. Just seemed to lack dynamism and stability on his patented step-back jumper because of that hamstring strain:
The hamstring issues have not exactly cleared up and followed him to Philadelphia. Harden missed the first handful of games after being traded due to the issues and when he took the court again still lacked his expected pop. As he put it, “Every game, guys who I could normally get by or certain moves that I’d always hit, it just wasn’t happening,” per Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports.
In a fateful offseason that included him declining his player option in favor of a more team-friendly deal, Harden also had a newfound motivation due to the hamstring. He built a gym in his backyard, cut out a great deal of his off-court activities, and sought to reach his physical peak once again. While a tendon strain in his right foot kept him out for a month already, there have been intriguing signs when he has been on the court.
This has especially been the case since his recent return in which he has masterfully found a balance as a scorer and passer within the Sixers’ offense. The whispers of the Harden and Embiid duo not being able to click have been quieted as both players have shown signs of maximizing each other in recent games. The former MVP has been content to take a backseat to Embiid at times and filled every role the Sixers have asked of him. He has been a positive locker room presence and helped to organize a variety of off-court events in the offseason with the team as well.
James Harden + Joel Embiid 🔥🔥🔥🔥
As Harden and the rest of the Sixers organization are well aware, the window to win a championship does not remain open long. Morey himself has “Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor” written in his Twitter bio. While the games now are crucial to taking steps in the right direction toward becoming true championship contenders, the true test will occur in the postseason.
Embiid and Harden will seek to overcome their playoff shortcomings together with the same goal in mind. They may have drastic off-court interests and personalities, but each guy could not be more clear about their desire to secure a championship. With health as the biggest key and the continued growth in their chemistry sure to be vital, count on Harden to do everything possible to rewrite his narrative and cement his rightful legacy as one of the best players to ever touch a basketball court.
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James Harden Opens Up on His Legacy and Motivation Moving Forward