The person who most people look up to tends to have their own idols. That statement is more than true in the NBA. A lot of players got into basketball due to a superstar who played at least a generation before them. James Harden is no exception. While he was racking up big numbers and ravaging the rest of the league, it was all because he was trying to emulate one legend from the Los Angeles Lakers. From his time as a sixth man in the Oklahoma City Thunder, his reign as Most Valuable Player with the Houston Rockets all the way to his current stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, Kobe Bryant was the man that he looked up to.
At this point, there might only be a handful of stars that were not influenced by Kobe Bryant. The Lakers legend impacted nearly everyone's way of thinking outside and inside the court. His shot was smooth like silk and had everyone screaming, “Kobe!” on lunch pickup games or just by throwing the trash. His legacy on the court is now survived by probably the greatest on-court sneakers of all.
It's easy to fall in love with the Lakers legend's legacy and James Harden has his own unique reason for looking up to him, via Hoops Hype.
“There was only one person who made me love, I mean fall in love with the game. That’s Kobe Bryant. Being from LA and being a Lakers fan watching him grow up and win several championships. His passion and love and what he did for the game of basketball. I think the world, you know, feels the same way. But, that’s why I started playing basketball. The skill set and things that I’ve learned, I picked up on my own. But, as far as falling in love with the game, it’s definitely been Kobe,” the Clippers guard declared.
A shared connection between the Clippers great and Lakers legend
James Harden and Kobe Bryant have faced each other 30 times. In terms of the entries in the win column, the guard from the Clippers dominated his idol. The Beard has won 17 times with six of them being battles in the postseason. If one is looking at individual statistics, however, that is where the Black Mamba takes the edge.
Bryant averaged 25.4 points alongside 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists whenever he faced Harden's Thunder or Rockets. The Beard only managed to score a meager 16.4 points a night with 3.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds. To put it simply, the Lakers legend was at the peak of his prime to the twilight of his career when these battles happened. For Harden, he was playing a supporting role under Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and getting to know the inner workings of being a superstar with the Rockets.
Despite the age gap, one thing does bind the Clippers player and Lakers legend together. It was the love for Los Angeles.
“Yeah, I just grew up watching him and what he did for the city of LA basketball in general. You know, I mean it’s just for me; it hits home, and yeah, definitely Kobe,” he concluded.
Now, Harden is also like Bryant when he entered the league. The Clippers star is now finding answers in his ring situation while being at the twilight of his career. Hopefully, he is able to cement his legacy as one of the best scorers while hoisting a Larry O'Brien trophy.
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