Now simpletons gota make this a street fighter VS battle. How about appreciate both their efforts and not try to see who can upstage the other? As far as team success and WINNING, Harden will own watt in a landslide. But watt will be the guy they love simply because hes has that elephant called white supremacy on his side. Watt will win a fundraiser in a landslide because of that elephant. Harden talents will have more of an impact on the court and watt have more mainstream media success because of the obvious elephant.
The answer as of right now is JJ Watt and I'm not sure that ever changes. Now if the Rockets win some championships and Harden somehow puts himself into the conversation for being one of the greatest of all time that could change. Basically if he's not on a Hakeem level (which I don't see happening) then JJ will remain the bigger Houston star.
You missed my point. Basketball is a game where one player can make that kind of difference, football is much more of a team game, no one player can matter that much. You can have one of the greatest QB's of all time and still fail to make the playoffs 4 out of the past 5 seasons. The "just winz" argument is stupid normally, but in this context, it's even more laughably ridiculous. JJ Watt will go down as one of if not the greatest defensive players of all time, James Harden is amazing, but not the basketball equivalent of JJ Watt.
Good argument and point. That's the downfall of playing football and being in the NFL. You just don't matter as much no matter how great you are...Which is why the greatest football players of all time never get any run for greatest athletes of all time. They just don't mean as much and even the best ones aren't he best athletes (Young, Brady, Montana). Honestly the only one who might get SOME run is Jerry Rice. But on the level of MJ, Ali, Bolt, Tiger, Messi, Pelé, Lebron, Phelps etc? Nah. The greatest athlete in Houston history is still a basketball player. JJ could register 25 sacks and the Texans win the Super Bowl and he still wouldn't unseat Dream.
How did you ask 2 questions but only 1 vote? What am I supposed to do when I have different answers for different questions?
I'm not so sure about that, or rather I think they'd be considered 2 equal heads on the Houston sports Mount Rushmore if that happened. The reason it's so hard to unseat Hakeem is that there's a legit case that he's the greatest center in NBA history.....plenty will disagree with that statement, but a case can certainly be made. That's also why Harden is at such a disadvantage, NBA history is absolutely stacked at the guard spots and he realistically has no chance of overshadowing them. If you look at the current Houston sports Mount Rushmore, you have Dream, Nolan Ryan, Earl Campbell, and one of Bagwell and Biggio. JJ Watt will almost certainly find his way on that list one day. Dream isn't going anywhere, Nolan Ryan isn't going anywhere, and I don't think Earl Campbell will either but that's who Harden would have to knock off to make that list one day IMO. That's an uphill battle, but Harden is amazing so I won't count it out.
THIS thread is LOCO!!! Glad to have BOTH J/JJ play for HTown in their respective field of sport!! I won't choose one over the other!! (P.S.) I will say this, mark my words, within 20yrs JJ Watt will be either the Mayor of HTown or Senator/Governor of Texas. The path is being written as we speak... Go Rockets!!! Go Texans!!! Go Astros!!! ....... ....... .......
What has JJ won? how many Superbowl appearance again? Why does Harden have to win championships to beat that guy?
I'm not big on the "just winz" arguments when it comes to team sports, so for me the reason why the Rockets would have to win championships to elevate Harden is that his individual accomplishments will never measure up to some of those other guys. JJ Watt will go down as arguably one of the best defensive players of all time, Nolan Ryan is one of the best pitchers of all time and arguably the best power pitcher of all time, Earl Campbell is one of the best running backs of all time and arguably the best power running back of all time, Hakeem Olajuwon is arguably the best center of all time....when that's your competition and you aren't going to be one of the best of all time at what you do, you have to have your stock artificially elevated by team success and "just winz"
"Texas is a football state." *∞ → the illusion-of-truth effect is in full force, as evidenced by the early voting results. So Watt if J.J .Who?What?Where? is the best American soccer long-snapper of all time? That just tells me they've had terrible quarterbacks (always free kicking)
Harden actually scored and assisted second most points in NBA history last year. So yeah he is one of the best overall offensive players.
I can't stay away from this. As a man with children, JJ is 1000 times better role model than Harden is both in their sport and in their public life (that is known by most). JJ has the personal hardware (multiple player of the year) vs Harden's (a 6th man & all league). Both are wonderful players and Houston is lucky to have them. Not all athletes look the same. An Olympian: wrestlers vs sprinters vs swimmers vs shot putters vs marathoners. All are the best at what they do and all would have different results in different sports because of body types and training. To say one is a better athlete than another is ignorant, IMO. One finds achievement by setting goals for their success in said sport. A 300+ pound person that can run a sub 5.0 40 & bench press 400+ pounds & squat 650+ pounds. Is a hell of an athlete (most defense and offensive lineman in the NFL). They may not look body beautiful but athleticism is a must to make in the league.
Basically players who can score better than Harden cannot assist as well, players who can assist better cannot score better than Harden. How many players can claim that?
