During his prime, James Harden was one of the league’s most dominant offensive players. With his scoring and playmaking, he was a superstar who rivaled all-time greats such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
As a former MVP, James Harden is recognized as one of the best players of the modern era. A look into his numbers shows that he belongs on the same level as many of basketball’s greatest players.
Even if Harden does not have a championship, he has been a productive superstar. His prime was during the Golden State Warriors‘ dynasty with Kevin Durant as a co-star. Because of that, the Houston Rockets did not win a title despite his amazing numbers.
Despite those struggles without a title, fellow NBA legend Charles Barkley held him in high regard. The Hall-of-Fame forward believes Harden was good enough to compete on the same level as names like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Barkley’s reasoning behind his praise for Harden
Throughout his 16 NBA seasons, Harden has averaged 24.1 points. He has been a standout across multiple teams, but the prominent time in his career was in Houston. During those nine years with the Rockets, he averaged a whopping 29.6 points and 7.7 assists per game.
When he left the Rockets, he was still tough to defend, but he has not reached the same level of productivity. He has not been the same level of scorer, but he has grown as a point guard due to increased maturity.
Barkley was a big fan of Harden, which is why he hailed him as one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history.
“He is the most awesome offensive player I have ever seen. Michael and Kobe were the better players from a guard standpoint, but offensively, they couldn’t shoot threes like him,” Barkley said on ESPN back in 2021.
“They were not as great at dribbling the basketball, going to the basket, and getting fouls. Every time he goes to the basket, he is going to get somebody to get two free throws. We have to give this man credit. He is an offensive machine, plain and simple.”
Harden is one of the modern era’s most influential players
Even if some people might deny it, Harden has become one of the league’s most influential players. He was once a shooting guard who mostly focused on getting the ball in the basket. As he matured, Harden became arguably the league’s best playmaker in the pick-and-roll and transition.
Harden deserved all the praise because he can run an offense by himself. Many players today have followed his example. Names like Trae Young and Luka Doncic have become excellent NBA players, thriving in a role that Harden pioneered.
Over the years, some people have avoided talking about Harden in the best light. However, he has cemented himself as one of the league’s biggest stars, who was a fantastic player, especially on the offensive end.
Barkley’s opinion was warranted because Harden has always found a way to help his team generate the best offense possible.
