James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers is known for being one of the best shooters in the league and has made a career of landing some crazy, unbelievable shots.
But is he also a team leader and inspirational figure?
According to his new teammate, Tyrese Maxey, he is.
Tyrese Maxey says James Harden asked him at halftime if he was going to play today!
Tyrese had 4 points in first half
21 in second half pic.twitter.com/pEpOBHMLvC
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) March 3, 2022
Speaking after their 123-108 victory over the New York Knicks, Maxey mentioned how Harden called him out – and fired him up.
Maxey only scored four points in the first half, leading Harden to ask at halftime if he was going to play.
That lit a fire under Maxey, who went on to land 21 in the second half of the game.
They were some harsh words from Harden but they seemed to get the job done.
Harden In The Lead
The truth is that Harden has never been known as a great, reliable team leader.
In fact, that’s been one of the biggest complaints against The Beard.
Throughout his time in Oklahoma City, Houston, and Brooklyn, he has never been someone to inspire and guide his fellow teammates.
In fact, he’s always relied a lot on iso ball and his “hero” plays that didn’t focus on assists as much as they did on himself.
But perhaps Harden has turned a page now that he’s found a new home in Philly and he’s ready to be a mentor and a leader.
Sure, poking fun at Maxey as he did isn’t the same as what LeBron James or Chris Paul do every night but it accomplished its goal and got Maxey into the game.
Harden has been in the game for a while now and is well-respected by the younger guys on the 76ers squad.
Moving forward, he should remember that and attempt to inspire them.
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