James Harden is often under heavy scrutiny about his weight before the start of the season. However, some viral pictures on NBA Twitter showed him in the leanest shape of his life. Many NBA fans, therefore, wondered if Harden has gone through an intense weight loss journey to get ready for the 2024-25 season.
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However, they have been misled by these images.
On X, a user uploaded a couple of pics of Harden looking in very good shape. In one of the pictures, he is doing a deadlift while in another he is crouching. A casual look at these photos can lead fans to believe that The Beard is in the shape of his life for the Clippers.
However, these resurfaced photos are actually from 2022 when he was preparing for the 2022-23 season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Looks like James Harden has gotten into the best shape of his life. The league might be in trouble 😈 👀 pic.twitter.com/uI5rixWrSa
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) August 18, 2022
Meanwhile, there is one more image of Harden doings rounds on the internet. In this photo, he is on the move and his upper body looks abnormally lean. While the size of his arms aligns with his usual body shape, the rest of the upper body looks like that of a marathon runner.
Since troll account NBACentel published the photo, it is clear that the image has been altered. The X account is famous for posting misleading content for the purpose of humor and engagement farming. The Community Notes on the post also debunk the validity of the picture.
The original image shows Harden’s upper body in the expected proportions. However, it is worth noting that he does look in good shape ahead of next season.
Nice try.
Here's the real photo. pic.twitter.com/qB2ri3vU9q
— ChanMan (@ChandranTheMan) September 26, 2024
A couple of days ago, Harden posted some pictures of his mini-camp in Arizona. His physique appeared in satisfactory condition as the guard didn’t look overweight at all. His fitness will be vital for the Los Angeles Clippers after a couple of jolts in the past seasons.
James Harden has to do the heavy lifting for the Clippers
The LA Clippers lost Paul George in the offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss the initial stages of the 2024-25 season due to his recurring knee inflammation issue.
It leaves James Harden as the number-one offensive option on the squad. Norman Powell is perhaps the only reliable shot-creator apart from The Beard.
Thus, Harden will need to rediscover his mojo from the Houston Rockets days to carry an immense burden. Former NBA guard Jeff Teague believes George’s departure will elevate Harden’s game since he won’t have to share the ball with him anymore.
Last season, he tallied an impressive 21.2 points, 8 assists, and 4.5 assists per game in the playoffs when Leonard was out, showing that he can still be the main option when needed.
