James Harden is most well known from his time with the Houston Rockets and now the Brooklyn Nets, but he used to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder which is the franchise that originally drafted him.
During his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden won the Sixth Man of the Year award and made the Finals with them during the 2011-2012 season. However, he ended up getting traded to the Houston Rockets, where he eventually became an MVP.
Kevin Durant and James Harden play in OKC tonight — the first time in 10 years the two share that court as teammates.
— Chris Milholen (@ChrisMilholen) November 14, 2021
The Brooklyn Nets’ most recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder marked the first time Kevin Durant and James Harden have played on the Thunder court together since they were teammates.
Kevin Durant and James Harden – together on the court in OKC for the first time since they left the #Thunder – both drew loud boos in the intros for the #Nets lineup.
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) November 15, 2021
Upon the duo’s return, they were booed by the Oklahoma City Thunder fans, because both had left the franchise. Kevin Durant did so in free agency, but James Harden had no control over leaving. When asked about the boos, James Harden stated that he didn’t know why the fans chose to do so, as it wasn’t his fault that he left.
“I don’t know why. It wasn’t my fault.”
– James Harden on getting booed by OKC fans 😂
(h/t @NYPost_Lewis ) pic.twitter.com/QP8biiKLTb
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 15, 2021
It is quite unfortunate that James Harden got boos, as there shouldn’t be any bad blood between him and the franchise. James Harden once revealed that during the Rockets’ 2018 Bahamas trip, he’d watch hours of old Thunder footage in his room. It is clear that he had a soft spot for the time he spent there, and that he cherished his time playing there with Durant.
The two are now reunited and trying to win a championship once again. There’s no question that the Brooklyn Nets are contenders, and it is quite possible that we see Harden win his first ring this year. A lot of teams will stand in their way, but with Kevin Durant and James Harden, no team is impossible to beat.
