Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon knows greatness, and he’s convinced that Houston Rockets star James Harden is at that level.
Harden’s 2019-20 season is just the third time in over 30 years that an NBA player has averaged at least 34 points per game. (The other two were Harden’s 36.1 last season and Kobe Bryant’s 35.4 in 2005-06.) Now 30 years old, “The Beard” is on the verge of a third straight scoring title.
Over his eight seasons to date in Houston, Harden has earned All-Star honors in all of them while leading his Rockets to the playoffs. The future Hall of Famer was the NBA’s 2017-18 MVP and a three-time MVP runner-up, and he appears poised for another top-three MVP finish this season.
Last summer, Rockets GM Daryl Morey said it was “just factual” that Harden is a better scorer than NBA legend Michael Jordan.
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The primary blemish to Harden’s career, of course, is that he has yet to win an NBA championship. But Olajuwon was 31 years old before he won his first of multiple titles, and he seems convinced that Harden’s career trajectory could be similar.
In an appearance Monday on SportsTalk 790 in Houston, Olajuwon was asked whether Harden was a championship caliber player. He replied:
There’s no question about that. It’s very, very difficult to carry a team from that position, and he’s proven that comfortably, reaching new heights. Look at all his statistics. You’re talking about a player at the level of Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain. He’s something unbelievable in this era. There’s no question about James’ ability as a champion. It’s just a matter of time.
James is such a complete player. He’s a winner. I think, with [Russell] Westbrook… [Harden] needs some reinforcements when he’s going deep in the playoffs. When the battle gets tough, he just needs that reinforcement to recharge. I think Westbrook has brought that to this team.
ICYMI: Hakeem The Dream Olajuwon Remembers The Rockets Championships On The A-Team https://t.co/44uIfKrKWB
— SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790) June 15, 2020
Harden is averaging 34.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game this season. Assuming he keeps his scoring average above 34 following the eight regular-season games of the NBA’s July restart, Harden will become just the third player in league history to average at least 34 points in two different seasons. The other two — fittingly, given Olajuwon’s comparison — were Jordan and Chamberlain.
Harden also looks to have lost weight during the NBA’s unexpected COVID-19 hiatus, which could put him in even better physical condition for a deep playoff run this year. (Houston has already clinched its spot.)
Though the statistical comparison is already there, Harden probably needs to become a champion in order for many NBA fans to widely accept him as an all-time great. This year could be a prime opportunity to do so.
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