It’s funny and crazy how fast things can change in sports, especially in the NBA. Title windows close so fast and players in their prime often try to put themselves in a position to succeed, meaning that, more often than not, they’re going to break some hearts along the way.
That’s the case with James Harden, who spent the past 9 years of his career with the Houston Rockets. He led them to deep playoff runs and now ranks either 1st or 2nd in most milestones and records in franchise history. Sadly for their fans, though, he will no longer be wearing those threads.
Harden’s frustration with the team made him force a move to the Brooklyn Nets to reunite with Kevin Durant and Mike D’Antoni and join forces with Kyrie Irving, meaning that he broke the promise he made to a Rockets fan back in 2017:
Never ever ever ever ever leave Houston @JHarden13 !!!!!
— yeezy (@edgarguerrero23) September 2, 2017
Promise I won't. #Rocket4Life
— James Harden (@JHarden13) September 2, 2017
Well, that certainly didn’t age well. Harden told him that he was going to be a Houston Rocket for life just three years before saying that the team couldn’t be fixed.
Then again, we shouldn’t just give James Harden a hard time for breaking his promise. Off-court issues aside, he always delivered when called upon and became one of the most unstoppable scorers in the league during his time in Houston.
Now, the Rockets are still ina position to make the playoffs in the Western Conference or kickstart their rebuild by moving away a couple of their pieces, while Harden is going to pursue his first-ever NBA Championship. Hopefully, that fan will understand and won’t hold grudges towards the guy that he rooted for almost a decade. That’s just the way it goes in this business.
