Except for winning an NBA title, James Harden has pretty much done it all during his incredible NBA career. He’s a 10-time All-Star, an MVP, and a three-time scoring champion. One of the greatest scorers of the game, it seems like Harden was confident about what he could achieve in the NBA even before he made it to the league. His pre-draft interview has been making rounds on social media before the 2024 NBA Draft.
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In the clip, Harden could be seen comparing himself to two Hall of Famers, showcasing his immense confidence in his abilities. During the interview, he was asked about his draft expectations.
The young guard confidently proclaimed that he could be a good fit for a lot of teams moving forward, naming the Sacramento Kings, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Washington Wizards as his possible destinations. Harden was then asked which NBA player he resembled the most.
The then 19-year-old responded,
“[Manu] Ginobili and Paul Pierce put together. Can find his way to the basket, can shoot the pull up, can shoot the deep three-balls. Whatever the coach needs me to do.”
James Harden before the 2009 NBA Draft pic.twitter.com/eWyNFPTk4L
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) June 26, 2024
By 2009, Ginobili had helped the San Antonio Spurs win three NBA titles, while Paul Pierce had won the Finals MVP a year prior. Both were highly skilled and accomplished stars, but Harden showed no hesitation in claiming that he was a mix of those two future Hall of Famers.
Even though Harden was comparing playing styles more than quality, his confidence said a lot about him.
During the draft, Harden’s prediction came true. The Thunder picked him third overall and he joined forces with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to form a formidable young team.
The guard came off the bench during his three-year stint with OKC and won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2012. He also helped the Thunder reach the NBA Finals that year, where they fell short against the Miami Heat.
OKC wanted to build off of that incredible run and construct a team around Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. They tried to tie the guard to a long-term deal, but he felt their contract extension offer was too low. When the two parties couldn’t reach an agreement, the Thunder traded Harden to the Houston Rockets in 2012.
Harden has earned more All-NBA nods and MVP award wins than Ginobili and Pierce combined. Unlike the Clippers guard, neither led the league in assists nor won the scoring title. However, Harden is yet to secure an NBA Championship like Manu and Pierce did.
