Don't get me wrong brother, I'm a Harden fan, but what you're describing is a #1 option and the best player on the court which doesn't mean a leader of men. Why was Chris brought in? Leadership because James has a tendency to go into his bubble and forget what's going on around him at times. James isn't directing traffic in Huddle's and his body language on the court when teammates screw up or whatever just doesn't scream leader to me. You can be a phenomenal talent and choose not to be a leader and that's ok.
Harden is a better leader than T-Mac, no question Harden has improved a lot in this department since the 15-16 season
TMac was never a leader. Harden has evolved into one. This year I can finally say that with confidence.
so he didn't really lead a team to 55 wins last year? well who did? you don't think in the POs any team needs at least 2 legit superstars to succeed? and cp3 who never got past the 2nd round with blake and dj what brought in to lead harden who led okc to the finals? cp3 wanted out and saw harden as his ticket out of the 2nd round so he wasn't able to carry the rockets farther last year and suddenly he was a leader.. so which "leader" cold have gotten the rockets past 55 wins and 2nd round of the POs last year anyway?? harden may not be as vocal a leader you want.. but he's definitely the leader of this team.. and given the makeup of this team led this team farther and can lead this team farther than any other "leaders" out there
I'm not sure how this thread got to 18 pages. This is a trick question. Tracy was never a leader, therefore, we cannot compare him to James. http://grantland.com/features/the-unfortunate-tale-t-mac/ But McGrady wasn’t a natural leader. His personality never matched his talents, Morey believed, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. For his first three Houston seasons, it fell upon coach Jeff Van Gundy to supply that leadership — by default — and as Morey accurately points out, you never want your team drawing its entire personality and toughness from someone wearing a suit. (Even in Chicago, where the Bulls assumed Tom Thibodeau’s rugged personality over these last three years, that wouldn’t work if lunch-pail guys like Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler weren’t involved.) After Morey fired Van Gundy before the 2007-08 season, new hire Rick Adelman was hoping McGrady would take on a bigger leadership role. Adelman was a more laid-back coach, Morey explains, someone who’d rather delegate to his players. So they met with McGrady to tell him that they needed his help. What happened? McGrady politely turned them down. He just wasn’t wired that way, he told them. “So who did everyone consider the team’s leader during your 22-game winning streak?” I asked Daryl. “Probably Chuck Hayes,” Daryl said. -------------------------------------------- “Your best player has to set the tone, without question,” Van Gundy explains. “If he doesn’t do that, then it has to be the head coach. But it’s better if the player has it. Tracy was never a leader, but he was a helluva basketball player. --------------------------------------------- Rivers realizes now how difficult everything was for McGrady, especially when it became more and more clear that Hill was never coming back. “Tracy wasn’t a leader at all,” Doc says, “and unfortunately for him, he had to be. That's three of his former coaches and one GM whom he played for, and not for a short period, but for many years. His best statistical years, in fact. They all said the same thing. Tracy was not a leader. We cannot compare a leader with a non-leader. Whether his leadership is effective or not can be debated, but at least James accepts the role.
The real question is... Who is more of a leader: James Harden or Russell Westbrook in 2017? James Harden or Lebron James in 2018?
Lead your team to wins not trip dubs Trade places could harden allstardipo adams kanter sabonis have more wins? Could ryno n ego n wb won 55?
Again, being the best player on the court doesn't mean you're a leader. Winning a bunch of games goes beyond 1 player. Does James lead by example on the court? Sure for the most part he does, but what about his off court stuff? Is that good leadership? Does it only matter when he's 'at work"? He isn't telling teammates what to do in huddles or on the court, usually it's a WTF shoulder shrug .. is that what a good leader does? Another time .. I literally love James Harden ok!? It's not an attack on him if someone states he isn't a leader. He's still young and he may become more capable in that regard. He's had some viciiuslv suspect moments where you can't just crown him nonchalantly. Chris is here in part for what he brings in terms of skill, but also what he brings in terms of experience and leadership. Who's barking orders in the huddles? Who's making sure everyone is where they need to be? Who reinforces teammates positively and allows them to flourish?
How could he lead without having gone deeper into the playoffs? You need the experience as a young player to develop into that player. That is exactly why the SA Spurs had so many 'leaders' because they kept on winning. They had leaders who started and leaders coming off the bench. The torch should be passed on from one great player to another. And of course the guy took things too seriously, you can't do that as a 'leader' per se. He was too quick with words, emotions. There were natural leaders who were not allstars, but that's a few among many.
Durant can only lead in stretches and has a Beta mentality, deferring too much. Kobe becomes frustrated too easily when he has no Allstar playing alongside him and wanted a trade to Chicago. He does not want to lead without Allstar talent. There is no denying they are great players, even generational talents. They are not perfect leaders either.
1. which ideal "leader" for you would have won a bunch more games than harden? 2. what specifically about his "off court stuff" disqualifies him from being a "leader" in your eyes?
You are comparing James Harden to a superstar who had never led any team he started for past the first round of the playoffs this includes China China China China
You are comparing 2 players in 2016, James Harden is a better player than Tracy McGrady in any point in his career as a leader any point like high school or elementary school
