Just stumbled on this while looking at highlights and thought it was an interesting look back. Guess that "new look" never worked out for him. [youtube]Ue5PoA8cdjc[/youtube] [youtube]JCOyF4zdah4[/youtube] [youtube]fPRaQnmDQxI[/youtube]
1st video at the end after talking about James harden.. Shows rockets logo. Must've been a sign all along.
The coolest thing is most prospects will compare their games to the elite players but never actually achieve that Harden is 100% accurate - he can't transition to other positions as well as they can (due to height) but i think can present a style of play (considering his strength) that mixes those two plus adds extra elements His ceiling really is an elite prototypical SG able to shoot, drive, dish and board at high levels He just needs to stop gambling on defense - inflates his steal numbers but we can all see the defensive breakdowns his failed steal attempts cause
harden without beard. I love his deceptively sleeply, droopy looks. It's like those drunken kung fu masters in movies.
Harden doesn't become great until he put on the beard. People started to notice he's a great player and wondering who the heck is that guy....w/ the beard (a la Osama Bin Laden). That's when he exploded into the scene and make himself the James Harden that people know today.
Man, his self assessment was spot on. Many people myself included were down on Harden before the draft for the very reason he stated, that we thought he wasn't athletic enough. Problem is, his style is based in good measure on deception, timing, getting his opponent off balance and making himself look like a slow, plodding herky jerky awkward player in the process. Most of the time, having a game like that in college doesn't translate well to the pros. But we all know now that he was hiding his jets under the guise of that svelte, Baron Davis-esque physique. You know, that guy you see in the gym who has a six pack overlying his potbelly. Everything about Harden, even his demeanor, lends to a misleading personage whose game you really can't appreciate until you go to the stats. He talent is undeniable now, and Dwight Howard provided the latest validation by committing to the Rockets in hopes that we will provide him with something Orlando never could: a superstar guard.
