Would you still like James Harden if he wasn't on the Rockets?

I'd probably still like Harden as a player, but the Kardashian taint and his other vices makes the OP's question a coin flip.

 

I wouldn't enjoy playing against him, but I might enjoy watching him in a playoff series my team wasn't involved in.

I would probably come to a similar understanding with him as I did with Nowitzki - hate his methods of foul drawing, respect his skills, enjoy the total package but would only root for it against a bigger heel like the Heatles.

 

Hard to critic this post because outside factors is a pretty vague categorization. It's similar to when a patient gets discharged from the ER with unspecific Abdominal pain, without a specific reference to where someone's pain is originating from.

His game isn't just scoring, which he has to make 3's at a decent rate in order to get his defenders to back off of him in order for him to drive. Harden also has that deceptive quickness. Take a look at Dwight Howard, he's athletic but he hasn't honed in a go to offensive move (no dunking doesn't count).

(Oh right there was that argument awhile back when someone debated being skilled and athletic. I believe Curry was considered by some skilled but not athletic.)

Yes his defense is questionable, his efforts on that side of the ball have been pretty inconsistent. He's capable of playing marginal defense but because his teams don't win all the time he's always the scapegoat.

Just because you see eurosteps and hesitation moves done in recreational leagues SHOULDN'T downplay his abilities to do it in an NBA level. He's actually pretty damn good at what he does. I guess I do realize there's no winning this debate.. Just wanted to throw out my 2 cents.

 

His Eurostep would transform into long travels while initiating contact without the homer googles on.

 

I would want him on my team. I'm not trying to marry him, I want us to win a championship.

 

Poll needs a 3rd option

Indifferent.

That's how I'd view him. I'd neither like nor hate him....kinda like how I feel about Duncan, Dirk, Westbrook, etc.

It takes a lot for me to "dislike" a player. At the same time, I don't "like" players from other teams much. Respect, yes. But I'm a Rockets fan. I like my guys...or at the very least guys who used to play hard for the Rockets.

 

Bad examples.

It doesn't take a lot for me to "dislike" a player. Anyone that plays for the Mavs I dislike. So yes, I dislike Dirk. A lot.

 

yes, he is a creator.

 

If Harden was putting up tremendous numbers, and visibly carrying the team to a playoff berth, I'd like him. Most likely, he has the potential and will show flashes of being the best player on a contending team. That's enough to say he's worth my admiration.

 

according to this poll, 47% of people on here have grown to hate james frauden.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=265421

 

Harden is very crafty, but i hate to watch free throws the entire game.

 

Yeah but that one was started by a Mavs fan.

I would still like him. I wanted him on this team when he was in OKC. I saw him as another TMac situationp—playing in the another's shadow and but could be a star.

I will say, I'm sure I'd get annoyed if he was playing against the Rockets and got all his fouls.

 

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The fact that he's willing to do commercials like this put him on my good side.

Guys who think they are "all that and a bag of chips" and take themselves way too seriously and mistreat the "little people" around them are the ones that piss me off.

James is maybe a flawed human being who happens to be really good at basketball. Maybe his poor defense means he never wins a title, but the guy doesn't seem like a total dick. If he doesn't win everything, it'll at least be fun watching him fail.

 

That's a hard question. I guess, pre-Rocket Harden was a slight blip on my radar. I noticed him at ASU, but that's because I'm a wildcat. I noticed him on the Thunder, but wasn't sure if he was ready for the big stage in Houston. He's been a rocket, and the stats show he is in an elite category when it comes to offense. His defense has its moments of awe and aw nah. He does a lot for this team. I like him now because of his rockets context, but to be honest his role has been different here than anywhere else. If he did this with the mavs I could see myself hating him because he's a mav, if he did it with the pistons I might not care.

But liking him, it isn't important to me. If the Rockets play entertaining basketball, I don't care if I like him.

 

I liked him in OKC . . so I guess I would

Rocket River

 

Nice

Rocket River

 

If Harden played in a market that gets a bit more love, would he have the reputation he does at all? If he was still in OKC would there be Harden defense videos? Would he have just won Shaqtin'? I think the Harden hate is 100 percent media driven, so I wonder how much differently the media would treat him if he wasn't here.

 

I voted yes

 

I have a feeling he is little hated by media, but in my opinion he is well loved by people. Around the world him and Curry two most recognized faces of NBA (by younger generation).But for me he was a reason I started to watch NBA games after 2002 WCF.