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“I’m excited to play alongside guys that know how to win”: James Harden slights Nets superstars as he sings his Sixers teammates’ praises

Samir Mehdi
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“I’m excited to play alongside guys that know how to win”: James Harden slights Nets superstars as he sings his Sixers teammates’ praises

James Harden says that he’s excited to play with guys on the Sixers that know how to win and do whatever it takes to win. 

James Harden has officially made his way to Philadelphia, a place he claims to have wanted to go to from the beginning. However, knowing just how much great history Harden shares with the Houston Rockets, it’s impossible to think that they wouldn’t have done everything in their power to do right by their near decade long superstar. 

Harden’s press conference was held today in Philly, with him being officially inaugurated in as a 76er. Here he would talk about his new teammates, praising them all. He went on to call Joel Embiid the best big man in the NBA while saying he loves the way Tyrese Maxey is relentless in his drive to attack the paint.

Also read: “I made Michael Jordan uncomfortable”: Gary Payton breaks down how he lead the Sonics defensively to two straight wins against the Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals

He would also go on to say Tobias Harris can give the Sixers 20 points on any given night and that it’s his job to ring that out of the star forward. 

Him praising his Sixers teammates in this particular instance shouldn’t be taken as him dissing his old Nets teammates however. James Harden actually admitted to be close with Kyrie Irving even after the trade. 

“Very minimal (Irving’s vaccine situation’s impact). Honestly, me and Kyrie are really good friends. Whatever he was going through and still going through, that’s his personal preference.” 

James Harden is excited to play alongside his new Sixers teammates. 

To essentially summarize everything he said, James Harden said that he was excited to play alongside players who knew how to win and were going to do everything in their power to win.

Also read: “James Harden was always disrespecting Kevin Durant and Steve Nash”: NBA Insider reveals shocking details about the now 76ers’ star’s behavior with the Nets

This may seem like a shot towards the Brooklyn Nets and even if it is, it makes no sense. Of the big three the Nets had for a little over 13 months, he was the only one who had never won a ring. Even guys like Patty Mills have more championship equity that Harden. 

In comparison to his newest Philly teammates, guys like Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, nor Matisse Thybulle have ever been the NBA Finals, let alone win a ring. 

This isn’t to knock any of the extremely talented members of the Philadelphia 76ers. However, saying that he’s finally surrounded by guys who know how to win isn’t true because he was literally on a squad that had Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on it. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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