James Harden has stepped into a new role for the Los Angeles Clippers as the team’s emotional and vocal leader. According to The Athletic, Harden has become the driving force behind the team’s communication and accountability, taking charge in areas where stars like Kawhi Leonard tend to stay quiet.
“Leonard is a quiet but supportive locker room player, but the Clippers needed more,” wrote Yardbarker’s Michael Hanich. “They believe they’ve found that player in Harden. Harden has pushed his teammates and coaches to be at their best in pursuit of getting to the NBA Finals.”
Despite his shortcomings, Kawhi Leonard is still the Clippers’ best player and the one they will lean on to carry them in important moments of games. In the locker room, Harden has now become their more vocal leader, and it’s clear he’s trying to set the tone for his teammates with positive chemistry and team-first mentality.
“This is a tough conference that we’re in… This year, we know what we have, we’ve just got to put it together,” Harden said. “At the end of the regular season, we want to put ourselves in a position to have a good postseason run. So it’s very, very vital for us to get off to a good start. And it starts with me and Kawhi.”
The Clippers have experienced many roster changes over the years, going from Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Today, Leonard is all that remains of the previous eras and his role has never looked different. Rather than being the center of everything, the Clippers are looking to his co-star, James Harden, to help carry the load and he’s embraced the challenge so far.
As a former MVP and 11x All-Star, star status is noting new for Harden but it’s a long ways from his glory days in Houston. At 36 years old, James will have to channel something special to have another All-Star worthy season but it’s certainly possible after averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists in 2024-25.
Fortunately, with teammates like Bradley Beal, Ivica Zubac, and John Collins, Harden won’t have to do it alone. With Kawhi, and a fully healthy roster, there’s no excuse for the Clippers not to contend for a top three seed in the West this season. As the potential leader of this group, Harden has a chance to revive his career in an unexpected way and potentially make a run that will go down in history.
Either way, as he heads into his 17th NBA season, James Harden is feeling confident about the days to come. With Kawhi’s non-vocal presence, it has left him as the more active leader and he’s taking the job seriously.
At this stage of his career, James Harden doesn’t need to prove his talent, he needs to prove his leadership. The Clippers have all the tools to compete, but they’ve lacked a true voice to bring it all together. If Harden can keep this group focused and healthy, Los Angeles might finally have the right mix to make a run at the Finals that’s eluded them for so long.
