5 NBA superstars that will never surpass Kobe Bryant all-time

4) James Harden

Coming into the NBA out of Arizona State as the third overall pick, no one envisioned James Harden becoming one of the greatest offensive engines and scorers the game has ever seen. He first started as a Sixth Man of the Year for the Thunder before ultimately spreading his wings to become a full-bloom superstar for the Houston Rockets. He became a perennial All-NBA and MVP candidate, winning the MVP award in 2018. Harden is the last American to win the MVP award.

Harden is known for his signature stepback move that has left many defenders helpless in a spin cycle or sliding like ice skating (ask Jamal Murray). He helped spearhead a Rockets offense that emphasized an analytical-heavy offensive approach under Daryl Morey at the time, emphasizing threes and shots at the rim, fizzling out midrange jumpers.

He is one of six players to average 30+PPG for three consecutive seasons (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob McAdoo, and Oscar Robertson). He's given us many historic regular-season performances. Who could forget that classic dagger over Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in 2019?

Harden's "Fear the Beard" has been a classic signature slogan throughout his career. One thing haunting him is the postseason, where he has disappeared in the biggest moments when his team needs him most.

He also is nowhere near the defender Bryant was, as Bryant was a multi-time all-defensive guard who guarded his opponents best offensive player and came up big in the biggest moments, which is what separates him from players such as Harden.