James Harden only joined the Brooklyn Nets midseason last year. But as one of the best players on the team, nay, the league, he's taken it upon himself to assume leadership on the roster.
One of his responsibilities has been to make sure team chemistry is at its best, both on and off the court. The Beard dropped some interesting insight into the personalities within the Nets. According to Harden, most people on the team actually keep to themselves. It's been his job to try to get them to socialize with one another.
Via Brian Lewis of the New York Post:
“I’ll try to get guys together for dinners and hangouts more often, just so we can get to know each other outside of the court,” Harden said on the Nets. “We’ve got a fairly quiet group. Most of the guys are to themselves; they stay in their own little shells. It’ll be nice to get them out, open up a little bit, even myself.
“I’m not that loud, but … I’m more loud than anybody on this team, like Paul [Millsap], LaMarcus [Aldridge], Patty [Mills], [Kevin Durant], you’ve got a lot of guys who are just to themselves. So it’s my job to open them up a little bit more.”
Quiet and reserved doesn't necessarily mean hurt the Nets' chances. One defining trait from all those guys James Harden mentioned is that despite their quiet demeanors in real life, they're all business in practice and right after the jump ball.
But forming tight bonds with one another certainly makes the sacrifices you make more fulfilling and helps alleviate any tension for decisions on the court. Players will worry less about who's getting more minutes or who Nets coach Steve Nash is using to close games if you put your absolute trust in your team – and James Harden knows that.
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