Harden joined Tracy McGrady (four times in 200405) and Hakeem Olajuwon (three times in 199293) as the only Rockets to ever capture Player of the Week honors three or more times in one season. [93] He missed seven games as a result. [25], Harden had one of the greatest statistical seasons in team history in his first campaign with Houston. [138], Harden led the Rockets to a Game 2 win against the Utah Jazz with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assistshis third career triple-double during the postseasonto give the Rockets a 20 series lead in the first round. His last basket came with 3:31 left in the second quarter. How Many Rings. Harden won his first scoring title, averaging 30.4 points per game, second in franchise history to Malone's 31.1 in 198182. [106], The Rockets started the season with an 1114 record. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. So if this isn't Harden's son, it's pretty weird that someone would draw a child sitting on Harden's lap. He also set a record for being the first player in franchise history to earn Player of the Month honors in consecutive months. For the past 10 years, Harden has talked about his hunger for an NBA championship. Basketball is my first passion, but I have so many interests off the court, Harden says. The Thunder subsequently traded him to the Houston Rockets before the 201213 season. Even if James Harden broke the scoring record and scored 100 points in a game, there's still one thing keeping him from being the greatest Rockets player ever -- A RING!! Reports indicate Harden continued to enjoy going out as he forced his way off the Rockets and Nets. [17], Harden was selected by the head coaches as a reserve for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, which marked his second consecutive All-Star selection. [159] Before those last two performances, only three times had a player attempted seven or less free throws while scoring 54 or more points in a game; Harden did it twice that week. Harden put his money where his mouth was, turning down an option to play with the Sixers on a $47.4 million salary for 2022-23, which allowed the team enough financial flexibility to add role players including P.J. James Harden has been among the NBA's top-tier players for years. "And we just came off USA Basketball . [38] Harden was later voted the inaugural National Basketball Players Association's MVP for the 201415 season. [14] He employed Rob Pelinka as his agent.[15]. Championship or bust mindset., James Harden, who invested in Therabody in 2021, said he its suite of products have "become part of [+] my lifestyle.". [173][174] On February 22, Harden was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, after leading the Nets to four straight wins. [34] On March 19, 2015, he scored a career-high 50 points against the Denver Nuggets. This trio helped the Miami Heat win their first NBA championship in 2012. [161] He became the Western Conference player of the month for December for his historical and efficient scoring tear during the month. James Harden does not care about winning, raved Bayless on Fox Sports Undisputed the next day. He also helped his AAU team, Pump-N-Run Elite, to the 2006 Las Vegas Adidas Super 64 championship. [97] The Rockets finished the regular season as the No. [59] He set the franchise record two days later with his sixth triple-double of the season and 15th of his career. Harden scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to eclipse the 57 points Calvin Murphy scored in 1978 to break Houston's single-game scoring record. [83] On November 5, he scored a career-high 56 points in a 137110 win over the Utah Jazz, falling just shy of Calvin Murphy's 57-point franchise record set in 1978. Harden and Westbrook, who star as the Houston Rockets backcourt, recently did a joint interview with GQ's Mark Anthony Green. 5. [203] On December 14, Harden entered health-and-safety protocols, causing him to miss the next three games. [215] On April 28, Harden had 22 points, 6 rebounds and 15 assists in a 13297 Game 6 win, to help the Sixers advance to East semifinals. [227] He possesses a wide array of offensive moves; two of the most prominent among them being his Euro step[228] and his step-back jumper. [165], During the off-season, general manager Morey and head coach D'Antoni left the Rockets. Bucks", "Bucks vs. Nets Game Recap June 15, 2021 ESPN", "Bucks vs. Nets Game Recap June 19, 2021 ESPN", "Nets star James Harden laps Kyle Korver for historic three-point milestone", "Brooklyn Nets vs New Orleans Pelicans Nov 12, 2021 Game Summary", "Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets Nov 19, 2021 Game Summary", "James Harden among list of Nets to enter NBA's Health & Safety Protocols", "Brooklyn Nets vs Los Angeles Lakers Dec 25, 2021 Box Scores", "Brooklyn Nets vs LA Clippers Dec 27, 2021 Game Scores, Stats & Highlights", "Brooklyn Nets vs New Orleans Pelicans Jan 15, 2022 Game Summary", "Harden's massive triple-double pushes Nets past Spurs", "76ers Acquire Seven-Time All-NBA Selection James Harden and Four-Time All-Star Paul Millsap in Trade with Brooklyn Nets", "James Harden's Sixers debut goes as Daryl Morey dreamed", "Embiid (37 points), Harden (triple-double) lift 76ers in matinee", "Sixers' James Harden's admission after historic game should scare the league", "James Harden surpasses Reggie Miller with wild career feat", "Maxey breaks out for 38 points, 76ers beat Raptors in Game 1", "Sixers finish Raptors in Game 6, advance to East semifinals", "Philadelphia 76ers 'getting more confident as the series goes on,' as James Harden stars in Game 4", "Butler takes over, Heat finish Sixers to reach East finals", "Harden Re-Signs with Sixers | Philadelphia 76ers", "76ers, All-Star Harden make new deal official", "76ers recover in OT after blown lead to beat Lakers 133122", "James Harden's wild 21-assist night matches Sixers record not seen in 54 years", "Harden, Embiid, Harris rally 76ers past Grizzlies 110-105", "Sixers star James Harden's historic shot to pass Allen Iverson on all-time scoring list", "James Harden tops David Robinson to become NBA's top lefty scorer", "Lakers Preview: 10 Things to Know About the Rockets", "The absolute best shooters of this NBA decade", "The Future of Basketball Is Here, and It Looks a Lot Like James Harden", "Houston Rockets: James Harden's Unstoppable Step-Back Jumper", "CourtVision: James Harden and the Amazing Technicolor Foul Shot", "Trail Blazers prepare for Houston Rockets, 'crafty' attack of James Harden", "The sour science driving James Harden's vexing genius", "Dwight Howard Injury Gives James Harden Chance to Swing NBA MVP Race", "James Harden becomes all-time Houston Rockets assists king", "Here Are 11 Minutes of James Harden Playing Terrible, Awful Defense", "Report: James Harden's Defense Impressing With Team USA", "James Harden's Defense Keys Houston Rockets' Hot Start (No Really)", "James Harden breaks single-season turnover record", "As Sixers collapse in similar fashion against Heat, what moves do they make next? With the Nets, he was named to his ninth and tenth consecutive All-Star games. In his first season with the team he set or matched several team records and was named to his first All-NBA Team (a third-team selection), as well as his first NBA All-Star team. [78] He placed second in league MVP voting to former teammate Westbrook. Harden set a franchise record by scoring at least 20 points in his 30th straight game. [122] On February 28, he scored 58 points in a 121118 win over the Miami Heat. A month from turning 33, Harden is working his way back from a hamstring injury that limited him to 65 games between Brooklyn and Philadelphia last season. [73] On February 3 against the Chicago Bulls, Harden scored his 10,000th point as a Rocket, passing Yao Ming for sixth place in franchise history. [233] During the early portion of the 201617 season, Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni played Harden at point guard,[55][56] which resulted in him averaging over 10 assists per game for the first time in his career. 0. Hardly hyperbole, there has been no shortage of criticism of James Harden throughout his decade-plus career in the NBA despite being a 10-time all-star, six-time all-NBA first team selection, 2018 NBA MVP, three-time scoring champion, named to the leagues 75th anniversary team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA. He additionally became a finalist for the MVP award and was named to the NBA's All-Seeding First Team. Hall of famer Charles Barkley too condemned Harden's style of play recently by saying that if he were on the floor with James Harden he would definitely get frustrated at watching Harden doing his thing while standing in one corner just waiting for the ball that would rarely come to him. Harden will definitely go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play the game but he will never win a championship with his current style of play, he will definitely have to tweak his game and make adjustments in a manner that benefits the team and his legacy. NBA MVP Power Rankings: Top 5 leaders entering Week 7, Houston Rockets News: Franchise could file protest over James Harden dunk that was ruled out. [227] He has also gained notoriety for his ability to exploit league rules in order to more efficiently draw fouls and get to the free throw line, from which he is a career 85.7% shooter. He became the fourth player in NBA history with multiple games of 10 or more 3-pointers, joining Stephen Curry (15), Klay Thompson (5), and J.R. Smith (3). That is the question that matters the most. He will be a free agent so long as he declines his player option, which . . [222] On February 23, Harden posted 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 110105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. For those of you out of the loop, the 76ers have a bell that they ring before games as a tradition. [226] ESPN named him the 5th best shooter in the NBA throughout the entire 2010s decade. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team at the conclusion of the season. [90] Two days later, Harden had a second straight 51-point performance in a 128118 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. This is how bad I want to win. [131] After a 135103 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 3, he became the third person in NBA history to record 2,700+ points and 500+ assists in a single season. Moreover, Harden is yet to acknowledge their . [42], Harden scored 43 points against the Sacramento Kings on November 6, followed by 46 points against the Los Angeles Clippers the next night. Harden averaged 22.5/8/10.5 with the Nets and averaged 21/7/10.5 with the 76ers in the regular season. [17] He was named to the 201213 All-NBA Third Team, marking his first career All-NBA Team selection while becoming just the seventh player in Rockets history to earn All-NBA recognition. Harden scored 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to tie the series at 22. Harden appeared as a humble, honest individual that understood the mortality of his NBA career and was willing to do whatever it took to win a championship. [48] Harden finished March with 457 points, 152 assists and 102 rebounds, becoming the first player to record at least 450 points, 150 assists and 100 rebounds in a single month since Oscar Robertson did it in December 1967. Harden DeRozan P. George Butler Lilliard Beal Gobert Like what if Lilliard and Gobert took a pay cut and went to the Clippers (Gobert would probably be taking a role cut, too). There's no doubt about the fact that if a team wants to win in the regular season, the playoffs and eventually the championship, there needs to be healthy team chemistry. [164] He became the league's scoring champion for the third season in a row and the league leader in total steals. There was an energy about the Harden arrival that seems to have fizzled. He became the first Rockets player ever to pick up Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks in the same season. It was Harden's fifth triple-double of the season and the 14th of his career, tying him with Hakeem Olajuwon for most in franchise history. [119] On February 21, in the Rockets' first game after the All-Star break, Harden scored 30 points against the Los Angeles Lakers for his 32nd consecutive game with 30-plus points. That said, for me, investing a little more time on my rehab, on my recovery, and making sure that my body is being taken care of from head to toethats the connection I needed.. [103] Despite a 32-point effort from Harden in Game 7, the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs with a 10192 defeat. [94] On January 26, he had 23 points and 11 assists in a 115113 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. [124] On March 20, he scored 57 points in a 126125 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, marking his seventh 50-point game of the season. [24] Harden was named as a reserve for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, marking his first All-Star selection. [125] Two days later, he matched his career high with 61 points, including 27 in the first quarter, to lead the Rockets to a 111105 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Harden was the youngest of their three children. [101] In Game 4 against the Warriors, Harden scored a game-high 30 points to help the Rockets even the series at 22 with a 9592 win. When playing for each team, Harden has won an NBA scoring title, two FIBA World Cup gold medals, an Olympic gold medal, and earned All-Star honors four times. James Harden. Oklahoma City Thunder. [235] During the 2014 offseason, he committed to an improvement on defense, which manifested as early as August of that year as a member of the United States men's national basketball team. The honor was Harden's second as a Net, becoming the first player in league history to earn Player of the Month honors in each of his first two full months with a new team since the award's inception in 197980. We love China. [30] On December 22, 2014, he tied his season high with 44 points in a 11095 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston was eliminated from the playoffs in the second round by the Lakers. JH: Well, he's really good.But in all seriousness, he's as humble as . He throws up contested and unnecessary shots, take for example the recent 50-point game he had against the San Antonio Spurs (11-38 FG, 28.94% shooting). [200], On October 22, 2021, Harden put up 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a 114109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, moving past Kyle Korver for fourth on the all-time three-pointers made list. [84] Harden joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to have at least 10 assists and shoot better than 75 percent from the field in a 50-point performance. A certain Houston Rocket player begs to differ. He was named to the 2009 All-Pac 10 Tournament Team following Arizona State's defeat by USC at the Staples Center. [96] It was his fourth 50-point game of the season and bested his previous career high of 56 points set in November against Utah. He has also led the league in scoring three times, and is currently ranked sixth all-time in points per game. Things get chippy early between James Harden and Dillon Brooks. Harden's mom, who is his agent (though he also has a business manager), defended his actions, saying he just wants to win a ring. The style that Harden . Charles Barkley, one of the NBA's all-time great stars, who alongside icons like Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing infamously never won a championship, says he simply has to live with that fact and . Of the four Lebron rings spanning his career, the first one always feels different. Harden was invited to ring the bell for the Sixers ahead of their game against the Celtics. -- so says Kenny Smith . does james harden have a championship ring 16 does james harden have a championship ring. [128] It was his fifth career 50-point triple-double,[128][129] the most of any player in NBA history. Make no mistake about it, James Harden is probably the most gifted offensive player in the game today. Players Name. [205] On December 27, Harden had 39 points, 8 rebounds and a season-high 15 assists in a 124108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. [20] Rockets general manager Daryl Morey called Harden a "foundational" player and expected him to be Houston's featured player despite previously only playing a supporting role behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. In the final, Pump-N-Run Elite beat Kevin Love's Southern California All-Stars. James Harden's childhood photo with mother Monja. James Harden can drop 50 points on any given night and can score tough shots over the game's greatest defenders and take home scoring and MVP honors but can he win a championship? James Harden's talent is transcendent and he is an MVP player every single season because . After the conclusion of the season (a second-round NCAA tournament loss to Syracuse), Harden declared for the 2009 NBA draft. Harden averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 62 games (two starts) during the lockout-shortened 201112 season, as he received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.[18]. Coming off the bench for the first time since 2012, Harden posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists in a 128116 win over the San Antonio Spurs. 12 on the worlds highest-paid athletes in 2022 according to Forbes. [211] In the following game on February 27, Harden logged his 68th career triple-double and first as a 76er with a season-high 16 assists to go with his 29 points, 10 rebounds and five steals in a 125109 win against the New York Knicks. [155] He continued his scoring rampage in the following 130107 win against the Orlando Magic on December 13, 2019, where he got his second 50-point game in a rowthe third time in his career where he has scored back-to-back 50-point games[156]with 54 points on 19-of-31 field goal shooting and 10-of-15 from three, in addition to seven assists, and five rebounds. Robin Lundberg: No one knows exactly which teams will benefit from the NBA's extended layoff. [49] Harden finished the 201516 season with 374 turnovers,[50] besting Artis Gilmore's mark of 366 in 197778, the first season the NBA recorded turnovers. Harden attended Artesia High School in Lakewood, California. [163] During the 20182020 seasons, Harden became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain with at least 20 games of 40+ points over a three-year period. Harden is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA history.. Harden had signed a 1+1 deal with the Sixers in the 2022 offseason which means he can opt out and become a free agent in 2023. In the beginning of the 202021 season, Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team trade. There's so many questions after seeing this video. The 2011-12 season marked the second time in a row the Miami .