On his third team in two years, 76ers star James Harden isn’t feeling any pressure to add a Championship to his resume.
As he told Complex in an exclusive interview, he feels he has nothing left to prove at this stage of his career. Even despite all the noise and criticism that has come his way lately, he doesn’t feel any heat to make things work with his new team.
There’s been a lot of narratives out there lately with what has gone on the past couple years, do you feel like you have something to prove this postseason in Philly?
No, I don’t. I don’t. For me personally, I always want to go out there and play well and contribute in whatever way I need to contribute but for me, it’s going out there and playing my game, trying to help my team win. I don’t feel any pressure, I don’t feel any of that.
Just 21 games in with the Sixers, Harden has yet to find his form. This season, he averaged just 21 points on an abysmal 40% shooting.
With some time and room to grow and adapt, however, there’s a chance he could lead Philly to great places over the next few months.
I’m still learning my teammates and coaches and about the ins-and-outs,” Harden said. “Everything has to be sped up quickly because the postseason is around the corner but for the most part, things are great. I just try to find ways to be the best version of myself I can be and bring a championship to Philly. That’s the whole goal. With that being said, we got a lot of work to do but we’re all very confident.”
After enduring the Ben Simmons saga, the 76ers are just glad to have a guy who wants to play for the team. But they will need more than that from him if they want to come out of the East.
No matter what Harden says, or how he’s feeling, it wouldn’t be a good look to fail this year, not after everything that he set in motion back in Houston. If he doesn’t win now, there will be some serious questions about his status and worth as a player in this league.
It will be entirely up to him to control that narrative.
