James Harden is an innovative scorer who has endless tricks in his bag. His supreme isolation game paved the way for a rare offensive run in the NBA from 2016 to 2020. The Beard remains one of the toughest players to guard on the perimeter. Patrick Beverley, who spent four seasons with Harden in Houston from 2013 to 2017, feels that his former teammate was among the most creative players ever in his prime.
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On his Pet Bev pod, the former NBA athlete was joined by Philadelphia 76ers Assistant Coach, Rico Hines. Hines puts together gruelling private basketball camps for NBA players in the summer and has worked extensively with Harden.
He discussed one of the 2018 MVP’s most viral moments from a few years ago when The Beard nailed a one-legged three-point shot from the corner during a pickup game.
Harden initiated the play by facing away from the rim toward the corner. Then he did a sleek behind-the-back dribble to bring his eyes back towards the rim. After doing a couple of swift dribbles to create separation, Harden finished by getting his right foot off the ground and shooting the ball with just his left foot.
Hines recalled that the former Rockets superstar had told him that he was perfecting the one-legged shot. The veteran coach was mesmerized by how he had pulled it off during a live game situation as well.
One day people will give James Harden his flowers for his contribution to the game pic.twitter.com/GCgoICQj1O
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) August 20, 2024
“The funny thing about the James shot is he told me he was going to be working on that shot. And he did in the game, it was crazy,” Hines told Beverley.
In response, Beverley remarked that these types of ingenious maneuvers make Harden one of the most creative offensive players he has ever come across. Pat Bev acknowledged that his former running mate had a bag of tricks that couldn’t be replicated by anyone else.
The 36-year-old went on to say, “At that time, probably one of the most creative basketball players offensively I’ve ever seen in life. Creativity, not like the best player, but creative-wise, he was doing sh** that no one else was doing.”
Beverley always drew the toughest perimeter assignment in the NBA, so he has seen some of the most sleek scorers in the league. Therefore, his compliments to Harden show how the latter is a rare talent who deserves his flowers.
While his step-back jumpers often garner the most attention, The Beard has a lot of moves to offer on the fly.
