James Harden is one of the most polarizing players in the world right now. Some old-school basketball fans don’t truly enjoy the way he plays the game but no one can deny that he’s one of the most – if not the most – unstoppable scorers in the league.
However, Harden has often been questioned due to his lack of success in the playoffs. While that’s not entirely up to him, he’s had plenty of responsibility on the Rockets’ infamous yearly meltdowns.
Even so, The Beard continues to pile up numbers and records, and according to Rockets’ legend Hakeem Olajuwon, it’s just a matter of time before he finally wins an NBA Championship:
“There’s no question about James’ ability as a (potential) champion. I think it’s just a matter of time,” The Dream told The A-Team w/ Wexler & Clanton.
Moreover, Olajuwon went as far as to claim that Harden is on the same level as Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain, which is a bit of a hot take, for sure:
“At his position, it’s very, very difficult to carry a team. I mean, look at all his statistics. He’s a player at the level of Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain. He’s unbelievable in this era,” Olajuwon added.
Harden is en route to winning his 3rd straight scoring title after averaging 34.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 4.4 three-pointers, and 1.7 steals per game on 43/35/86 shooting, which are Michael Jordan-ish numbers, that’s just a fact.
Still, Jordan and Chamberlain were two of the most dominant players on ever, and most importantly, they both led teams to a Championship. Perhaps The Dream is right and it’s just a matter of time before Harden joins the club but as of today, he’s just not quite there yet. Not even if he averages 40 points per game. It just goes beyond the stat-sheet.
