Stephen Jackson Calls Out James Harden for "Chasing Rappers" Instead of Supporting New Coach

They caught some heat but they weren’t partying in the middle of a pandemic and the start of training camp,

 

This is the opposite of Jimmy Butler's scenario in Minnesota. Harden has two guys that came here to work, and he is the one not showing any kind of commitment. There isn't anyone on this roster that doesn't take winning seriously, its not just Wall and Cousins.

 

Jackson is right

 

Imagine JHarden partying in the middle of a season instead of the beginning, it would be worse.

 

Even if you take race away you're putting a young new head coach in a terrible position and reducing his chances of staying employed to shower a rich rapper with expensive gifts.

If Harden remained more professional about the situation Silas could comfortably build his game plans from the very start of camp. Now, he may not ever catch up and the team may struggle because it's best player isn't bought in.

I'm a huge Harden fan but he looks stupid right now.

 

I don’t qualify who hangs out as rappers
They are dudes who just autotune and mumble

it’s not like he’s hanging out with Nas or Rakim or Das Effects

@Ziggy

 

Oh damn

 

Am i missing something? Doc Rivers, Dwane Casey, Lue, McMillan, Monty Williams, Gentry, Brown, Bickerstaff, Wilkens, Jackson, Hollins, Scott etc. all black coaches. I understand one can argue about unprofessionalism in Hardens part for opting to party instead of reporting to the team even with the trade request, but making this a race issue is simply mind boggling, considering the fact that Harden himself is black. Man just wants out and does not believe in the teams future. Can’t force a guy to think otherwise unless he truly believe Rockets can be contenders. This Harden drama is getting a bit out of hand now. Either freaking trade already or just stop with the Harden news. 1st preseason game was damn good and healthy Wall + Cousins can shock the league. Big IFs but I am optimistic.

 

I agree. But that isn't Stephen Jacksons gripe.

 

That’s the Port Arthur in him. A real one. No lies detected. You’re a grown ass man giving another grown ass man a Prada bag filled with $100,000 and a $200,000 watch.

 

Can you imagine being Stephen Silas, and working your tail off to advance your career... waiting patiently for your opportunity to be a head coach in the NBA... and just when you finally get your big chance to coach the Rockets, then the best player on your team dishonors his contract and holds out... creating strife within the organization and showing open disrespect for team leadership as he galivants around Las Vegas partying with rappers... all the while massively devaluing his trade value and creating turmoil that you then have to manage.... Silas is getting a raw deal - Stephen Jackson is 100% correct in that assessment.

TEAM SILAS

 

That was real

it’s like he snatched the chain off Harden
Like he was Steve Francis
@Jontro @Reeko @Os Trigonum

 

I'm not gonna go into a scholarly subject with you. Don't really care if you get it.. it was for those who actually study psychology and got a degree in it. So, you condone being a victim and ham-stringing your former employer is the way to get what you want? If you're about BLM how you gonna go running back to your white coach instead of a black coach who was an assitant for many many years? Sounds like a hypocrite. If your standard for a role model is he didnt get arrested, no candals, and no drugs, then our kids are in trouble. It is a real indicator of one's actual values... I have a lot of compassion over here.

 

Appearances matter. They do. Harden could be pushing the Rockets for a trade and participating in camp with his new coach.

The frustrating thing to me, personally, is that this team could actually be his best shot at a title if he'd buy in and give Silas a chance. Wall looks good so far, to my great surprise. (Yes, preseason, etc)

I agree with you that JH has a right to want a trade, (though I think people should honor their contracts more than the superstars do these days). But the appearance of pouting after your white coach leaves is unfortunate and Silas doesn't deserve that one bit. If JH would show up, it would give Silas's career a whole different trajectory than it will have now. I think that's a fact.

Finally, I've really changed my mind on this topic over the last couple of years: It's not "bringing" race into a topic. Race is in our cultural consciousness, our classrooms, in our job interviews, in the times we won't show up to work for a new boss, and our traffic stops. It's there, even if you and I don't want it to be. I wish it wasn't. Peace and go Rockets!

 

Is chasing rappers sorta like chasing waterfalls?

 

The trouble about making this a race thing is there are black people on all sides. Maybe his gripe is with the white owner and not the black coach. After all, the biggest winner if a team wins is the owner. Maybe him sacrificing his reputation to support his black brother, who happens to be a rapper, over his white owner is the blackest thing to do. Its a slippery slope, especially more slippery when we don't know people's motives.

 

It was not for me yet you posted it in response to my post? How dare you assume I dont have a psychology degree? Because I don't agree with you? LOL

James Harden is not a role model for me nor for my kids. He is nice on the court, very nice. But him and me live our lives very differently. If you have followed James Harden's activities up until now you shouldn't be surprised that in the middle of a dispute with the organization, he chose to celebrate with his brother instead of a practice. The dude has worked hard to get to the level in his career where he can afford to do that.

We acting like Silas needs James Harden or his career is over. If he is as good of a coach as we think he is, he will be successful either way. With or without Harden. Right now, everyone is praising the way he has handled the situation but here comes Stephen Jackson reducing him to a nobody that is helpless without Harden showing up to every practice. That should have been Jacksons video "Silas is a great coach". Instead he wanted the attention of piling on James Harden when that's currently what all the media is doing. Like I said before, if he was really bout it, he should have picked up the phone and called James.

 

I kinda agree with Stephen Jackson on this

 

You have every right to feel that way. But you started by saying if you take race away and the point is SJax brought race into the situation.