Houston Rockets: We can’t forget to appreciate James Harden
Harden does his best to get acclimated into the league in OKC
James Harden has always deserved our appreciation. We knew this when he first came into the league as a part of the OKC Thunder. That Thunder roster consisted of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant, Westbrook, and Harden were drafted one after another, and Harden was drafted third overall, his lucky number.
What made Harden special was that he sort of played the third wheel and he played this role well. Behind prolific scoring machines Durant and Westbrook, Harden had to find a way to implement his game, which also consists of scoring, into the OKC lineup.
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The young shooting guard accomplished this. He wasn’t yet the star he is now, but anyone watching could tell that he was undeniably a star in the making with a team on the rise. He learned to be a part of a team that was building a winning culture and it molded him into a superstar like his peers.
What I also like about OKC-era Harden is that he wore this long beard. Harden is well-known for his beard now, being nicknamed “The Beard” or “Bearded Harden” whenever he has a good game. Harden has always had a knack for facial hair. It’s his good luck charm.