James Harden is a phenomenal player, and there are no two ways to look at it. Ever since entering the league, Harden has made his game miles better. A big part of that development is his ability to draw fouls with ease.
Harden is one of the few players who has made more free throws than field goals in his career. On a similar note, Harden has yet another free throw-related record to his name.
Since his debut, the Brooklyn Nets superstar has drawn more 3-point shooting fouls than any other team in the league, and the Houston Rockets are the only exception from the list.
Harden has drawn 521 3-point shooting fouls! The closest team to him is the Los Angeles Lakers, with 439 fouls drawn in the same time span.
James Harden has drawn more 3-Pt shooting fouls than ANY TEAM in the NBA since entering the league (except the Rockets) 🤯
(h/t @NBAcrazystats) pic.twitter.com/WkIzBYNaFd
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 1, 2021
While this stat is quite impressive, Harden’s ability to rack up shooting fouls might take a hit next season. The NBA has made some changes to their rules and the refs will be trying to reduce the number of shooting fouls allowed due to unnatural shooting motions.
Although it might take some time for the refs to get used to the new rules, it will be interesting to see how players like James Harden will adjust to the new rules.
It is a well-known fact that Harden relies on drawing fouls to score a majority of his points. However, he still has other weapons in his arsenal as well.
For example, Harden is a good three-point shooter and can inflict a lot of damage with that. Additionally, the former MVP is an excellent playmaker. So, even if Harden’s avenues for scoring might be reduced, his teammates can handle the scoring as well.
After all, he is playing with the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who can change the momentum of the game in a matter of minutes.
All things considered, the Nets shouldn’t worry a lot about the new rules as it won’t affect them that much. They are still one of the favorites to win the 2022 NBA championship and if everything goes well, the Big 3 might bring the first-ever NBA title to the city of Brooklyn.
