502 Podcast host and former Milwaukee Bucks player Jeff Teague recently claimed James Harden was a better SG than Dwyane Wade. However, First Take’s Stephen A. Smith disagreed with this. For Stephen A., Dwyane Wade always exceeded James Harden in several parameters. Moreover, Wade has three rings compared to James Harden’s none. Using this example, Stephen A. Smith compared and recalled how the 23-year-old was a leader for Miami Heat when Shaquille O’Neal joined in 2004. Although Stephen A. believes Harden is a future Hall of Famer, putting him in the same light as D. Wade was problematic for the ESPN analyst.
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The Harden and Wade comparison has recently been going viral for a few days. With Stephen A. Smith’s recent claim, he has joined the league of people who disagree with Teague’s claim about Harden.
Stephen A. Smith snubs James Harden over Dwyane Wade as the better Shooting Guard
Stephen A. Smith on First Take recently refuted claims by Jeff Teague of James Harden being better than Dwyane Wade. While Smith had all respect for Harden, several aspects made him lacking compared to Wade. D. Wade, on the other hand, was a complete leader for his team, Miami Heat. Speaking about Harden, Stephen A. said,
“Yes individually 1-on-1 James Harden was absolutely spectacular and unstoppable. The handle, the step back 3, the shooting ability, the prowess. D Wade could never shoot the 3 like Harden could should the 3. He wasn’t the one-on-one player like Harden was.”
Following his praise for Harden, Smith explained the aspects the Philadelphia 76er player lacked. Over the years, Harden has frequently changed his team and was not a team player like Dwyane Wade. This was another point that Stephen A. Smith held against him compared to Wade.
“But the reason I am challenging him [Teague] in terms of saying you know better, because you know know that’s not all it entails. You gotta know how to be a team player. You cant recruit players, and everytime you recruit, you want him out.”
Smith further argued that James Harden was pacified at Houston Rocket for years. He had the potential to win a championship with the team in the long run, given his MVP performance in the 2017-18 season. However, D-Wade, being a team player, has earned the Flash his three championship rings compared to James Harden’s none.
In 2004, Dwyane Wade entered his sophomore year in the league. At that time, Shaquille O’Neal arrived from the Lakers to Miami Heat. Shaq was way past his prime and allowed D-Wade to take up the role of a leader as a young player. This level of understanding helped Miami win its 2006 championship.
“I remember when Shaq arrived there [Miami Heat], Shaq wasn’t in his prime anymore. It was D-Wade that delivered that championship against the Dallas Mavericks, averaging over 37 in the last four games, after being down 0-2. ”
Indeed, Dwyane Wade was an exemplary figure when playing a team game. He was ready to take any hits for the success of his team. For example, he was ready to take a massive pay cut to retain LeBron James. Perhaps, Dwyane Wade’s accommodating nature helped him understand team dynamics and win championships.
Paul Pierce recently compared himself to Wade and attracted massive controversy
After comparing himself to Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce recently found himself in the middle of controversies. He tried claiming that D-Wade could pursue his three rings only because he was supported by some of the best players on his team. However, this opinion backfired upon Pierce when several fans and former players started slamming his claims.
Jalen Rose compared Pierce’s achievements in the league on national television to slam his claims. Compared to Pierce, D-Wade has three NBA rings and was a 13-time All-Star. On the other hand, Pierce only has one ring with Boston Celtics and was a 10-time All-Star.
