Former NBA guard Jason Terry played two seasons with James Harden on the Houston Rockets. Harden was developing into a star during that time, but Terry saw something from Harden which he didn't like.
Terry, who joined the Big 3 on Tuesday, says Harden used to be reluctant to take more shots during games because he was worried about not being efficient.
So, the veteran used to pull The Beard aside and tell him that the team needed the superstar to do whatever it takes to win games.
Fast forward to today, and James Harden has followed Terry's advice. Harden is never shy about shooting more than 30 shots per game because he knows him being aggressive will benefit the Rockets.
Jason Terry says he's proud of the way Harden has developed his game.
“When I got to Houston, James was starting to come into his own as an elite scorer-facilitator,” Terry told James Herbert of CBS Sports. “But the thing about James was he was reluctant to take more shots and, you know, not be as efficient. Now what you see is the fearlessness. It doesn't matter. He will shoot to win. If he has to take 30 shots, he'll do it.
“And these are some of the conversations we were having in the locker room, at practice on the practice court and even in games. I would be in timeouts and I would pull James aside and just kind of direct him and tell him what I've seen out there on the floor and how he could attack and approach certain situations.
“So to see him now and his progression, it makes me feel proud, man. It makes me feel like I've done my job as an NBA player and, when I left this game, I left it in a better place. And two of the guys that are having a lot of success right now on an elite level, I physically touched them and gave them something that has fueled them in their growth and development.”
Harden leads the league in scoring for the second consecutive season. He's putting up 35.9 points per game.
The Rockets star is trying to win his second straight MVP as well.
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