10 NBA players who turned their back on their franchises

9) James Harden

Say what you will about former MVP James Harden, but he does two things well: play basketball and turn entire fan bases against him. Harden did that not once, not twice but three times, which means LA Clippers fans should guard their hearts with the expectation that he'll do it again.

He first demanded a trade from the Houston Rockets in 2020 and seemingly gained 30 pounds and mailed it in until he got his way. Practically overnight, he shaped up and balled out for the Brooklyn Nets until that got old and he demanded to be dealt after a season and a half.

A season and a half later, Harden did it again with the Philadelphia 76ers after team president Daryl Morey allegedly lied to him. Whether right or wrong, Harden is now a member of the Clippers and has helped turn their season around.

Helping lead the Clippers to their first championship will help salvage some of his reputation, but turning the fanbases of the Rockets, Nets, and Sixers against him hasn't endeared him to large swaths of NBA fans. That won't take away from his stellar career numbers, but it could affect his place in the all-time rankings.